Tensions flared in the House of Representatives on Thursday over a proposed one-year tuition fee waiver for federal tertiary students.
Minority Leader,. Fred Agbedi, raised procedural objections against Deputy Speaker, Benjamin Kalu, arguing that inviting the House Leader to speak on the proposal after its sponsor, Representative Ahmed Satomi, had already stepped it down breached House rules.
Agbedi further warned that seeking blanket tuition waivers through a motion directly conflicts with the existing Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) legislation.
Deputy Speaker, Kalu rejected the objection, ruling the Minority Leader out of order. Kalu then invited Majority Leader, Julius Ihonvbere, to address the chamber regarding NELFUND’s operational milestones.
Ihonvbere disclosed that the student loan body has disbursed 372.6 billion naira to date, including N192.9bn paid directly to 319 institutions, benefiting approximately 1.65 million students nationwide.
The proposed waiver, introduced amid rising living costs following fuel subsidy removal, aims to mitigate financial distress and prevent student dropouts. However, lawmakers remain divided over balancing immediate emergency relief with the long-term legal framework governing federal student loans.
