Reported by: Oahimire Omone Precious | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
More than 400 students of the University of Lagos (UNILAG) are facing the prospect of missing their first semester examinations, carrying over courses, or spending an extra year in school after the university administration closed the school fees payment and course registration portal weeks before the commencement of exams, according to multiple student sources. The students have appealed to the university's management to urgently reopen the portal, warning that the decision has left hundreds of their colleagues in academic jeopardy amid the country's worsening economic hardship.
The payment and course registration portal was shut on June 21, 2026, despite the fact that first semester examinations are not scheduled to begin until August 10, 2026—nearly seven weeks later, according to students who spoke to SaharaReporters on Wednesday, July 29, 2026. The affected students said many of those impacted were unable to complete their registration before the deadline because they and their parents could not raise the required school fees on time. "I'm a UNILAG student reaching out on behalf of over 400 affected students," one student told SaharaReporters. "Our examinations are scheduled to begin in a week, but the school fee payment portal has been closed. Many students and parents were unable to raise the school fees before the deadline, and as a result, over 400 students now risk missing their examinations, carrying over courses, or even spending an extra year in school".
The students expressed frustration over the university's decision to shut the portal so far in advance of the examination period, describing the move as unfair given the prevailing economic realities. "UNILAG closed the school fees payment and course registration portal on June 21, even though examinations are not scheduled to begin until August 10, almost one and a half months later. Many students are confused and frustrated by this decision," another student said. Questioning the rationale behind the early closure, the students called on the university authorities to provide a clear justification. "We sincerely want to understand the reason behind closing the portal so early. What was the justification for this decision, and what exactly is the university trying to achieve?" one of the affected students asked. "Many students who were making efforts to raise their fees have now been denied the opportunity to pay and register their courses, putting their academic progress at risk".
The students argued that with rising school fees and the country's economic challenges—including soaring inflation, high unemployment, and a cost-of-living crisis that has pushed many families to the brink—the university should have allowed more time for students to complete their payments and registration. "Considering the current economic hardship in Nigeria, where many parents and students are struggling financially, coupled with the continuous increase in school fees, we expected the university to be more considerate by keeping the portal open for a longer period," one of the students said. The students appealed to the university management to reconsider the policy and immediately reopen both the payment and course registration portals to enable affected students to regularise their academic status before examinations begin. "We appeal to the university management to reconsider this policy and reopen the payment and course registration portals to give affected students a fair chance to complete their registration before examinations commence," one of the affected students said.
The development comes amid a broader crisis of affordability in Nigeria's tertiary education sector, where fee hikes and economic pressures have increasingly made access to university education a struggle for many families. Under UNILAG's "No Registration, No Examination" policy, students who have not successfully registered their courses are not issued examination dockets, effectively barring them from sitting for their papers. Without the ability to sit for their first semester examinations, affected students could be forced to carry over their courses, delaying their graduation by at least one academic session. The closure of the fees portal has also raised questions about the university's communication and planning, as students were reportedly given a deadline that many could not meet. As of Thursday, July 30, 2026, the University of Lagos management had not issued an official response to the students' appeal. With first semester examinations set to begin in just over a week, the clock is ticking for the over 400 affected students, who are now hoping that the university will act swiftly to avert what could be a major academic crisis.
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