Across Nigeria, the start of the 2025/2026 academic session has been overshadowed by soaring school fees, leaving millions of parents reeling under financial strain.
With tuition, textbooks, uniforms, and other essentials rising sharply, families already battered by inflation say the cost of education has become almost unbearable. According to the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), inflation stood at 21.88% in July 2025, compounding a cost-of-living crisis that has forced many households to choose between food and schooling.
Parents interviewed across Abuja and other regions painted a picture of despair. Some are pulling their children out of private schools, while others cling on by selling valuables, borrowing, or even turning to online crowdfunding to keep their children in class.
Ngozi Okoro, a single mother of two, recalled how a 30% increase in school fees last session broke her ability to cope.
“I worked extra hours, borrowed from friends, but it was never enough,” she said. “I had to choose between feeding my children and paying their school fees.” She has now resolved to transfer her children to a more affordable school.
For Abuh Ameh, a father of four, each new term brings fresh anxiety.
“Every term, the school sends a reminder about fees. I feel ashamed when I cannot pay on time. Sometimes my children are sent home, and they cry because they don’t want to miss classes,” he lamented.
The desperation is evident in extreme measures. Widower Nuhu Ahmed admitted selling cherished possessions just to cover tuition and buy books. Meanwhile, reports show a growing number of parents are using social media crowdfunding campaigns to seek help.
Education experts warn the trend could deepen Nigeria’s learning crisis. Michael Akor, an analyst, noted that with over 17 million out-of-school children already, the inability of parents to afford education poses a grave risk to the nation’s future workforce.
“Education is supposed to be a ladder out of poverty,” he said. “When it becomes unaffordable, it traps families in that poverty cycle.”
Public affairs commentator Mazi Christian Idoko urged parents to face reality by enrolling their children in schools within their means.
“Some parents still patronise schools far beyond their capacity, and then resort to begging. My advice is simple — cut your coat according to your cloth,” he said.
As classrooms reopen this week, the optimism of a fresh school year is overshadowed by a deepening question: how long can struggling Nigerian families continue to carry the weight of rising education costs?
