No fewer than 5,000 students of the University of Benin (UNIBEN) risk missing the second semester examinations beginning on Monday, the 29th of September, 2025, over failure to settle their tuition charges.
The school’s Registrar, Mr. Ademola Bobola, disclosed this in a circular titled, “UNIBEN Enforcement of No Payment of School charges, no examination policy”, where he confirmed that the affected students ignored repeated notices.
Bobola explained that the institution had advised students to either pay their fees or take advantage of loans provided by the Nigerian Education Students’ Loan Fund (NELFUND). He lamented that the response had been poor, noting that close to 5,000 students had been identified as defaulters.
Quoting directly from the statement, he said:
“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 students’ loans being provided by the Nigerian Education Students’ Loan Fund (NELFUND).
All efforts made to encourage these students to either pay their school charges or take advantage of NELFUND students loans have yielded no positive response.
With the Second Semester examination set to begin on Monday 29th September, 2025, these students shall be barred from writing the examination if they fail to pay their school charges or subscribe to the student loan by NELFUND.
About 5,000 students have been identified in this category of defaulters. In compliance with the directive of the Senate of the University of Benin, these students shall not be allowed to write the forthcoming examination.”
The Registrar stressed that the Senate’s decision would be strictly enforced. He revealed that departments had been ordered to publish the list of defaulters by 8:00 a.m. on the examination day, to make it clear who would be affected.
READ ALSO: UNIBEN Releases Post-UTME Results, Begins Admission Process
He added that students who have already registered for the NELFUND loan and could provide proof would be cleared to participate in the exams.
The circular further stated: “Those yet to pay and have not registered with NELFUND are hereby required to either pay the school charges; or subscribe to the NELFUND students loan before the commencement of examination on Monday 29th September, 2025 to be eligible to take the examination.
The University’s NELFUND Office is fully prepared to assist students to get enrolled into the NELFUND students’ loan scheme as promptly as possible, before the examination commences on Monday 29th September, 2025.
All students writing the examination are to ensure that they have proper means of identification such as the University’s student’s identity card.”