Following the protest staged on Tuesday March 10th, 2026 by students of the College of Nursing at the Nnamdi Azikiwe University Teaching Hospital (NAUTH), the Chief Medical Director, Prof. Joseph Ugboaja, has suspended the planned tuition fee increase.
Prof. Ugboaja announced the suspension the hike in fee on Wednesday March 12th, 2026 after a meeting with the college’s governing board and the Student Union Government.
He said a committee comprising relevant stakeholders from the college has been set up to review the fee structure and recommend a more appropriate adjustment.
Pending the committee’s decision, he said students will continue to pay the existing fees.
Prof. Ugboaja also expressed sympathy with the students, noting that the suspension was granted out of compassion for their concerns. However, he explained that the initial fee increase was intended to help upgrade the institution to higher standards.
Some of the students told reporters they were confident the CMD’s intervention will favour the students given his leadership style which has been characterised by empathy, love and fatherly compassion as it is not the first time he will be demonstrating that.
The Student Union Government (SUG) President, Chukwuelue Chisom, who said the union was not in support of the protest said the union is very optimistic Prof. Ugboaja will work with relevant stakeholders to ensure the fees are made affordable enough for the students to pay and enough for the management to hand them quality educatio iin the end.