Students of Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba-Akoko (AAUA), Ondo State, and Niger Delta University (NDU), Bayelsa State, staged protests on Thursday over prolonged industrial action and a reported 250 percent increase in tuition fees.

At AAUA, students barricaded the university’s main gate and major roads around the institution, protesting the prolonged strike by academic and non-academic workers.

The action followed an indefinite strike by members of the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU), Non-Academic Staff Union (NASU) and National Association of Academic Technologists (NAAT), which began on Wednesday over unpaid allowances and the non-implementation of agreements with the government.

Lecturers under the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) had also embarked on an indefinite strike over the state government’s failure to fully implement an agreement reached with the union.

Folagbade Ayoola, AAUA Students’ Union Government president, said students could no longer remain silent as the prolonged shutdown disrupted their academic activities.

He said students had continued to pay school fees despite the challenges and called for an immediate resolution to the dispute.

Oluwatimileyin Amos, the SUG general secretary, said students had spent about 68 days at home and were increasingly concerned about the uncertainty surrounding their academic future.

He said the situation was particularly difficult for students awaiting graduation examinations.

Adeniyi Kehinde, the SUG senate president, said previous engagements with university management and other stakeholders had failed to resolve the crisis.

NDU students protest tuition increase

At NDU, students took to major roads on campus to protest an alleged 250 percent increase in tuition fees.

According to videos seen by TheCable, the students claimed tuition for first-year students had increased from ₦110,000 to ₦319,000, while students in higher levels were expected to pay more.

A student believed to be the SUG president called on students to stay away from classrooms until the issue was resolved.

The protest followed the release of NDU’s merit admission list for the 2026/2027 academic session. Reports said the increased tuition stated in admission letters sent to new students had caused concern across the state.

As of the time of TheCable’s report, NDU had not issued an official statement on the reported tuition increase.