The Education Rights Campaign (ERC), Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU) Branch, has strongly condemned the recent introduction of a ₦10,000 hostel extension fee by the university authorities.

The fee is expected to be paid by students who intend to remain in the halls of residence during the break.

The institution had earlier directed that all students must vacate the halls of residence on or before Sunday, September 7, 2025.

In a statement, the ERC OAU Branch described the directive as inconsiderate, particularly to final-year students still working on their projects, those on compulsory teaching practice, health sciences students, and others involved in academic or professional programmes.

The group argued that many students initially believed the evacuation order was to enable long-awaited hostel renovations, given the deteriorating state of facilities.

However, it said the introduction of the extension fee proved that the decision was not about improving student welfare but about creating avenues for what they termed “dubious exploitation.”

ERC further stressed that the students affected by this policy had already paid over ₦50,000 for hostel accommodation in the last session, insisting that imposing an additional ₦10,000 was unjustifiable. The group maintained that such a move was insensitive at a time when students and their families were already struggling with the economic hardship in the country.

The organization also noted the growing security concerns around off-campus residences, warning that the university ought to be encouraging students with valid academic engagements to remain on campus without extra charges.

According to ERC, prioritizing student safety and welfare should come before revenue generation, stressing that anything short of this undermines the university’s responsibility to its community.

“We in the Education Rights Campaign demand the immediate reversal of the hostel stay extension fees,” the statement reads. “There is no reason students should be made to pay for choosing to reside on campus. Clearly, the university is prioritizing revenue over the welfare and safety of students.”

The ERC also called on the leadership of the Students’ Union to rise to the occasion by defending students against what it described as “broad-day exploitation.”

The group urged the union to engage university authorities not only on the hostel fee issue but also on wider concerns about student welfare and the deteriorating security situation in and around Ile-Ife.