By Onilede Titi Faith
About 5,000 students of the University of Benin (UNIBEN), risk being barred from the second-semester examinations, which begin on Monday, September 29, 2025, over non-payment of school charges.
The Registrar, Mr. Ademola Bobola, in a memo, said management would strictly enforce its “no school fees, no exam” policy.
He explained that despite repeated reminders, thousands of students had neither paid their fees nor subscribed to the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND).
“The university management is in receipt of the list of students who have failed to pay their school charges despite repeated reminders.
“These students have also failed to subscribe to the students’ loans being provided by NELFUND,” the memo stated.
To enforce compliance, the Senate has directed provosts, deans, directors, and heads of departments to publish the list of defaulters by 8 a.m. on Monday.
A task force led by the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic), will ensure that only eligible students are allowed into examination halls.
Bobola stressed that the measure was necessary to uphold academic and operational standards.
The move aligns with similar “no fees, no exam” policies adopted by other Nigerian universities, including Rivers State University, which in April warned students against diverting school fees into gambling and frivolous spending.
UNIBEN urged indebted students to pay immediately or access the NELFUND facility to avoid being excluded from the examinations.
