The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) has strongly criticized the management of Federal University Wukari (FUW), Taraba State, over its directive requiring students who failed to pay their school fees within the approved deadline to defer their studies for the 2025/2026 academic session.
The controversy followed a circular issued by the university, directing affected students to meet with their Heads of Department (HODs) to process deferment. The circular further warned that students who neither paid their fees nor obtained approved deferment would forfeit both the semester and the academic session, while those who stayed away without official approval would be barred from registering for the next academic session.
The directive sparked widespread reactions from students, alumni, and other stakeholders, with many affected students taking to social media to seek intervention from relevant authorities, including NANS and the Taraba State Government.
Responding to the development, NANS President, Dist. Comr. Akinteye Babatunde Afeez, described the university's policy as "insensitive, anti-student, and contrary to the ideals of accessible and inclusive education."
According to the student body, the decision is particularly troubling because many of the affected students have already applied for the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND), which was established by the Federal Government to assist students with tuition payments.
NANS argued that since the university would eventually receive the students' tuition once NELFUND disburses the funds, denying them the opportunity to register and sit for examinations amounts to punishing students for circumstances beyond their control.
The association also recalled that many institutions have previously delayed refunds to students who paid their fees before receiving NELFUND disbursements, a practice it said only improved after sustained pressure from NANS.
Citing reports that over 5,000 students could be affected by the policy, NANS warned that the university's action undermines President Bola Ahmed Tinubu's vision of expanding access to higher education through the NELFUND initiative.
The association demanded the immediate withdrawal of the directive and called on the university management to allow all affected students to complete their registration and participate in their examinations.
NANS further warned that if the university fails to reverse the policy, it would relocate its National Secretariat to the Federal University Wukari to lead sustained protests against what it described as anti-student policies until justice is served.
The statement was signed by Dist. Comr. Akinteye Babatunde Afeez, GCNS, President of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS).