“We no go gree” — NAUTH nursing students protest after school fees jump from ₦90,000 to ₦580,000
Students of Nnamdi Azikiwe University Teaching Hospital (NAUTH) School of Nursing, Nnewi, staged a protest on Monday morning following an unprecedented hike in school fees.
The fees have reportedly risen from ₦90,000 to ₦580,000 per academic session.
The students decried the increase, describing it as “outrageous” and unsustainable, especially for those from low-income families.
Many argued that the surge lacks transparency and threatens access to quality education for aspiring nurses.
School cites institutional upgrades
In a memo dated 23rd January 2026 and obtained by NationGuard News, Prof. O. I. Ejiofor, CMAC and Chairman of the NAUTH Board of Nursing, stated that the hike is part of ongoing efforts to upgrade the institution to a reputable monotechnic.
The directive affects all levels, including HND, Basic Nursing, and Midwifery students, and mandates immediate implementation of the new fees.
While the administration cited institutional development as the justification, students and parents expressed frustration at the sudden financial burden.
Calls for review and Federal intervention
Critics of the increase argue that such steep increments are part of a wider trend in Southeast universities, where higher education is increasingly commercialised.
Many have called on the federal government to step in and provide funding or scholarship schemes.
“Students need basic teaching aids to learn, and the school cannot risk producing poorly trained graduates,” one concerned observer said.
Others have highlighted that fee hikes of this magnitude have previously forced students to drop out.
Watch the video below…
Students of Nnamdi Azikiwe University Teaching Hospital (NAUTH) Nnewi, School of Nursing stage a protest this morning over the shocking increase in their school fees from ₦90,000 to ₦580,000. pic.twitter.com/6dnEZHGYs3
— CHUKS 🍥 (@ChuksEricE) March 10, 2026