The Education Rights Campaign (ERC), University of Ibadan branch, has raised serious concerns over what it describes as an alarming and exploitative trend among female students — turning to IVF egg donation as a desperate measure to fund their education amid skyrocketing tuition fees.
In a strongly worded statement signed by the branch secretary, Nnamdi Ochi, the ERC blamed the situation on the “full commercialisation of public education” and Nigeria’s deteriorating economic conditions, noting that the situation has forced students — especially women — into “exploitative and health-threatening survival strategies.”
The group directly linked the disturbing trend to the University of Ibadan’s massive hike in tuition fees during the 2022/2023 academic session, where fees surged between 453% and 750%.
The statement revealed that students who previously paid between ₦64,600 and ₦69,600 were suddenly required to cough up between ₦230,000 and ₦412,000, depending on their course of study. Yet, ERC notes that these increases have not translated into better learning or living conditions.
Further fee hikes are reportedly already on the horizon. According to the group, new students admitted for the 2023/2024 session are being charged an additional ₦10,000, while returning students may face another increase of over 200%.
“This deeply exploitative practice, where students risk their health for cash, is a symptom of a failed capitalist system that treats education as a luxury,” the statement reads. “The rise in egg donation among female students is not a matter of personal choice, but one of last resort in the face of overwhelming financial pressure.”
ERC did not mince words in holding the Nigerian government responsible, accusing successive administrations of neglecting their constitutional duty to properly fund public education. “It is unacceptable that students are forced to resort to such extreme measures in a country abundantly blessed with natural and human resources,” said Ochi.
Beyond condemning the fee increases, the ERC also highlighted ongoing victimisation of students who dare to protest. They specifically called for the reinstatement of Nice Linanus, a student representative from Awo Hall who was allegedly suspended from the Students’ Union Council for participating in a peaceful protest.
The organisation called on students to mobilise under the newly elected Students’ Union leadership to resist the fee hikes and demand justice for persecuted activists. It further advocated for a national movement against what it called “anti-people policies” pushing the commercialisation agenda.
Among the ERC’s core demands are:
Adequate government funding for public education
Abolition of exploitative and outrageous school fees
Introduction of comprehensive student welfare programs, including housing, feeding, and healthcare
“We stand in solidarity with all students facing hardship and exploitation. It’s time for the government to take immediate and meaningful action toward a just, equitable, and accessible education system that upholds the dignity, health, and future of Nigerian students,” the group declared.
The ERC’s statement has reignited debate over the affordability and accessibility of higher education in Nigeria, raising questions about the long-term implications of forcing students to choose between their academic dreams and their physical well-being.
