The management of Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH) has formally announced increase in students fees starting from the 2018/19 session.

In July, PREMIUM TIMES exclusively reported how the institution at its 133rd governing council meeting which held on July 5 decided that the hike will take effect from the 2018 / 2019 academic session.

According to a mail sent to students and obtained by PREMIUM TIMES on Monday, returning students who are indigenes of Oyo and Osun states are to pay N200,000 while non indigenes are to pay N250,000.

The new fee is against the N63,500 for returning students who are indigenes of Oyo and Osun states and N72,500 for non-indigenes.

The present 100 level students paid N120,000 for indigenes and N150,000 for non-indigenes as part of the resolution of the institution after the university strike that lasted for months.

The university is owned by the Oyo and Osun state governments.

The spokesman of the university, Lekan Fadeyi, refused to answer calls and text messages seeking clarifications on the new fees. However, a top official of the university, who asked not to be named, confirmed the increase.

“The fee is increased to meet the reality of the day,” the official said.

Students have continued to react to the increase.

“We can’t afford the money at this present days. When workers are still fighting for minimum wage, the institution came up with hike,” a student, Aarinola Adegbite, said.

Another student, Kazeem Alli, told PREMIUM TIMES that the university “is calling for another strike” by its action.

The increment in fees seems to be the norm in Nigerian institutions of recent.

In April, medical students of University of Ibadan protested the over 100 per cent increase in accommodation fees.

Also in the same month, Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba, increased its fees by over 200 per cent.