Thousands of students at the University of Lagos (UNILAG) are struggling to find accommodation, as limited hostel spaces and rising rents off campus intensify pressure on housing around the institution.
The university has an estimated 35,000 students, but only about 8,000 to 10,000 bed spaces are available in on-campus hostels, making competition for accommodation fierce.
Official hostel fees are set at about ₦80,000 per academic session. However, students say privately run hostels located within the campus charge significantly more, with some beds reportedly costing up to ₦710,000.
Off-campus options offer little relief. Annual rents in neighbouring communities such as Abule Oja, Iwaya and Onike range from ₦500,000 to as much as ₦2m, prices many students say are unaffordable.
As a result, some students resort to squatting with friends or classmates, a practice the university authorities have warned against, citing safety and overcrowding concerns.
UNILAG has attempted to ease the pressure through Public-Private Partnership arrangements, which have added more than 2,000 bed spaces over the past five years. However, students and housing experts argue that the increase falls far short of demand.
They say the situation highlights a broader challenge facing Nigeria’s higher institutions, warning that student accommodation should be treated as essential social infrastructure rather than a luxury.
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