UNILAG Hostel Built With N1.6bn Public Funds Now Charges Students Almost N1 Million per Bed Space
- Federal funds built a UNILAG hostel costing N950,000 per academic session, raising accessibility concerns
- Initiated by alumnus Femi Gbajabiamila, the facility aims to tackle UNILAG's housing crisis since 2019
- Government continued funding maintenance amid debate over the hostel’s premium pricing versus its public purpose
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Legit.ng journalist Victor Enengedi has over a decade's experience covering energy, MSMEs, technology, banking and the economy.
A hostel built with N1.6 billion in federal government funds to ease the accommodation crisis at the University of Lagos (UNILAG) has become one of the institution’s most expensive student accommodation options, with a bed space costing as much as N950,000 per academic session.
The facility, known as the Femi Gbajabiamila Hall of Residence, was conceived as part of efforts to address the long-standing accommodation challenges faced by students of the university.
Source: UGC
But the fees now charged at the facility have raised questions about whether a hostel built through public intervention to support students is accessible to the very population it was designed to serve.
How a N1.6bn federal project came to UNILAG
The story of the hostel dates back to 2019, when the then Vice-Chancellor of UNILAG, Professor Oluwatoyin Ogundipe, sought the intervention of one of the university’s alumni, Femi Gbajabiamila, who was then Speaker of the House of Representatives.
UNILAG management wanted Gbajabiamila to assist the institution in tackling its persistent accommodation infrastructure deficit, which had continued to place academic, financial and welfare pressures on students.
The intervention eventually resulted in the approval of a Zonal Intervention Project in 2020 for the construction of a 484-bed student hostel.
The project was officially listed as the “Construction and Furnishing of a 484-bed Landmark Student Hostel at the University of Lagos” under the Zonal Intervention Project Appropriation Act of 2020.
The federal government allocated N1.6 billion for the construction of the facility.
The hostel was subsequently named after Gbajabiamila, with his sculpture prominently positioned at the entrance of the building.
The facility was commissioned on January 3, 2024, by the then Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, who represented Gbajabiamila, who had by then become Chief of Staff to President Bola Tinubu.
From government intervention to premium accommodation
Rather than becoming a low-cost accommodation option for students struggling to secure decent housing, the facility now operates with fees that put it beyond the reach of many UNILAG students.
Investigations by BusinessDay found that students occupying a single room pay N950,000 per academic session, while each student in a four-man en-suite room pays N710,000.
This means that a four-man room brings in N2.84 million when all four occupants pay the stated annual fee.
The pricing places the hostel firmly in the premium end of student accommodation at UNILAG, despite its origin as a federally funded intervention designed to address the university’s accommodation shortage.
The facility offers two main accommodation categories: single-occupancy rooms and four-man en-suite rooms.
With 484 bed spaces and fees ranging from N710,000 to N950,000 per occupant, the hostel could generate roughly N300 million in annual accommodation revenue if fully occupied.
That revenue potential raises an important question: how far should a publicly funded student welfare project go in operating like a commercial hostel?
Legit.ng earlier reported on how UNILAG students disclosed the huge amount of money they spend paying for accommodation outside the campus.
Source: UGC
UNILAG explains reason for pricing structure
The University of Lagos (UNILAG) has defended the pricing of the Femi Gbajabiamila Hall of Residence, describing the facility as a modern, high-capacity hostel designed to provide students with enhanced residential services.
The university explained that the hall features amenities such as en-suite rooms and professional facility management services, which it said were designed to meet modern accommodation standards.
It stated:
"The pricing structure reflects the actual cost implications associated with maintaining a modern residential complex of this scale, including 24-hour electricity/ water supply and other utilities, security, waste management and sanitation services, infrastructure maintenance, and the lifecycle replacement of fittings and equipment."
According to the university, the facility is not operated as a profit-making venture but under a self-sustaining model aimed at maintaining its quality, safety and service standards.
UNILAG said the fees take into account the cost of running a large modern residential facility, including round-the-clock electricity and water supply, other utilities, security, sanitation and waste disposal.
The institution also cited routine infrastructure maintenance and the replacement of fittings and equipment throughout their lifecycle as factors contributing to the cost of accommodation.
How much UNILAG students spend daily on food
Meanwhile, Legit.ng earlier reported that a Nigerian lady spoke with UNILAG students to find out how much they spend on food each day and weekly.
During the interaction, one student disclosed that his daily food expenses can reach as much as N10,000, depending on his mood and what he chooses to eat.
Another student, however, said he spends significantly less, budgeting about N2,500 daily. He explained that he is able to keep his food costs down by regularly preparing his meals in the hostel.
Proofreading by Funmilayo Aremu, copy editor at Legit.ng.
Source: Legit.ng
