Posted on: Thu 12-03-2026

The management of Nnamdi Azikiwe University Teaching Hospital (NAUTH) has pledged to engage students and members of the governing board following protests by students of its School of Nursing over a sharp increase in tuition fees.

The students staged a protest on Tuesday at the institution’s gate in Nnewi, Anambra State, rejecting what they described as an astronomical hike in school fees from N90,000 to N580,000.

The increment was said to have followed an internal memo reportedly issued on January 23 by Mr. O. I. Ezejiofor, Chairman of the Board of the NAUTH College of Nursing, announcing an upward review of tuition to support the upgrade of facilities and training standards in the institution.

During the protest, students carried placards and demanded a reversal of the new fees, while also raising concerns over the rising cost of accommodation around the school.

Responding to the development, the Chief Medical Director of NAUTH, Prof. Joseph Ugboaja, said the management would hold discussions with the governing board and student representatives to address the issues and restore calm.

According to him, the fee adjustment was proposed by the newly constituted board as part of efforts to improve training quality and maintain standards in the college.

“Once I return to the institution, we will sit with members of the board who proposed the new tuition and also with the student union leadership to review the matter and harmonise positions,” he said.

Ugboaja explained that although the increase appeared high, the institution’s fees remained among the lowest compared with other nursing schools in the South-East region.

“Our fees have been very low for years, and even with the increment, we are still among the cheapest around the South-East. The review is aimed at ensuring we maintain standards and provide the best training for the students,” he stated.

He also clarified that the institution does not own most of the hostels used by students, noting that accommodation arrangements are largely private agreements between students and hostel owners.

Also speaking, the hospital’s Public Relations Officer, Mrs. Chinyere Onwuka, said the leadership of the students’ union had formally distanced itself from the protest.

According to her, the revised fee structure covers additional services, including feeding and transportation for clinical postings outside Nnewi.

She maintained that when compared with other schools of nursing in the South-East, NAUTH’s tuition remains moderate, adding that some institutions charge as much as N800,000 per session without including feeding or other welfare services.

Onwuka reiterated that management is open to dialogue and assured that all concerns raised by students would be reviewed in consultation with the board and relevant stakeholders.

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