Uba Sani: Kaduna’s 50% fee cut eliminates barriers to tertiary education access

Uba Sani says Kaduna’s decision to halve tuition fees at state-owned tertiary institutions is breaking down barriers to higher education.

The governor spoke at the inauguration of the Kaduna State University (KASU) chapter of the Kaduna State Students Union.

Represented by his principal private secretary Bello Ayuba, Sani said the reduction enabled students from less privileged backgrounds to pursue university degrees.

“This reduction in tuition fees has paved the way for more students from humble backgrounds to bag university degrees with ease in Kaduna state,” he stated.

The governor thanked the student body for awarding him the “Sword of Honour Award” and for focusing their public lecture on his administration’s achievements.

He pledged continued government support for students, urging them to maintain peace to facilitate development programmes.

Sani cautioned students against being used by “agents of disunity and chaos” to destabilise their communities and derail their academic goals.

He stressed that “no meaningful development can be achieved in a state of chaos, disunity and mutual mistrust.”

The governor highlighted improvements in the state’s security situation, noting a “drastic reduction” in challenges that had previously impacted agriculture and business.

Sani cited the reopening of the Birnin Gwari cattle market, closed for over a decade, and other markets in security-affected areas of Giwa Local Government.

He outlined infrastructural projects undertaken in the past 22 months, including the construction of over 78 roads spanning 775 kilometres, and the remodelling of general hospitals and healthcare centres.

The governor also mentioned ongoing school building and refurbishment projects.

In 2023, the Kaduna state government reduced tuition fees for state-owned tertiary institutions by 30 to 50 per cent.

This reduction aimed to address public concerns about the impact of high fees on enrollment and retention, and to mitigate the effects of rising living costs.

At the KASU event, the student union praised Uba Sani for the tuition fee cut, the establishment of new faculties at KASU, and his facilitation of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) intervention project for the university’s engineering faculty.

They also commended his directive allowing students to sit examinations regardless of outstanding fees.