NANS Urges Governor Aiyedatiwa to Intervene in Soaring Student Rents

The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), Joint Campus Council (JCC), Ondo State Axis, has appealed to Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa to urgently intervene in the rising cost of student accommodation across tertiary institutions in the state. The student body expressed deep concern over what it described as the unbearable burden of off-campus rents, which continue to escalate beyond the reach of average Nigerian students and their families. In a statement issued by the Ondo State Chairman of NANS JCC, Comrade Awodola Babatunde, the association noted that students of institutions such as Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba-Akoko; Olusegun Agagu University of Science and Technology, Okitipupa; University of Medical Sciences, Ondo; and Rufus Giwa Polytechnic, Owo, are now being charged between ₦350,000 and ₦600,000 annually for accommodation. He described the situation as alarming, particularly as many of these lodgings lack access to basic amenities such as electricity, clean water, and proper security. Babatunde stressed that the majority of students in Ondo State are children of artisans, market traders, farmers, and other low-income earners, making the current housing situation both exploitative and unsustainable. He warned that if urgent steps are not taken, more students may be forced to withdraw from school or endure severe financial and mental strain. The students’ union called on the governor to introduce regulatory policies that would control the activities of landlords around student areas. They proposed the implementation of rent control laws, prohibition of advance payment for more than a year, creation of tenancy mediation bodies, and enforcement of minimum standards for student housing. NANS also urged the state government to invest in the construction of hostels or support such efforts through public-private partnerships, recommending the development of at least 500-bed spaces annually across state-owned institutions. Babatunde noted that similar rent control frameworks are already in place in other states and could be replicated in Ondo to protect the interests of students. He emphasized that without government intervention, the rising cost of accommodation would continue to undermine academic performance and place additional stress on families already struggling with the high cost of living. The association expressed confidence in Governor Aiyedatiwa’s willingness to act and pledged to support any government initiative aimed at resolving the crisis. As of the time of filing this report, the Ondo State Government has not issued a formal response. However, students and stakeholders remain hopeful that action will be taken in the coming weeks to address the urgent concerns raised.