Nigeria Accommodation Crisis - UNILAG May Allow Squatting, Sanction Racketeers.

            Faced with inadequate accommodation, as over 30,000 students compete for about 8,000 bed spaces, the management of the University of Lagos (UNILAG) may approve squatting arrangements among students, while also pledging to sanction those involved in hostel racketeering.

           ‎The Dean of Student Affairs, Prof. Musa Obalola, told an online publication: “We’re deeply concerned, and I can assure you that we have been trying our best to curb hostel racketeering as much as possible. “There are several stipulated sanctions for students who are caught selling either bed spaces or squatting spaces,” he said."The minimum you can get is two or one semester suspension."

‎          The Dean of Student Affairs (DSA) explained that punishments would be imposed only after a suspected racketeer is caught, tried, and found guilty by the university’s Student Disciplinary Board. When asked about measures to address the challenges of inadequate hostels and racketeering, Prof. Obalola said that once hostel allocations are made to successful applicants, the school issues hostel ID cards, while staff conduct random checks to ensure compliance.

‎         He warned that the university would take strict action against anyone caught engaging in illegal activities. “Some students don’t consider the circumstances surrounding accommodation. Why deny your fellow students the chance to bid, keep the accommodation you already have, and still go ahead to bid and sell?” he said.

‎         In addition, the university announced plans to publish details of students involved in hostel racketeering. With government approval, it also intends to enter a private partnership to construct new hostels, providing over 7,000 bed spaces to be commissioned and delivered within 24 months. It was gathered that one of the official female hostels (Honors), with a capacity of 511 bed spaces, is currently unavailable to students due to ongoing renovations.

‎          Having experienced a similar situation in the previous academic session, many UNILAG students are again facing hostel challenges in the current session. Contributing factors include the late registration of freshers, unexplained administrative gaps in some departments, and the misconduct of racketeers and their agents. In some cases, racketeers sell a bed space for between N240,000 and N300,000, while a squatting space can cost as much as N180,000.

‎           At the beginning of the session, most freshers (100 Level and Direct Entry), due to their late registration, were forced to attend lectures from home, with some spending over N5,000 daily on transportation. In the Department of Quantity Surveying, most 200 Level students were unable to participate in the first hostel balloting for students from 200 to 500 levels.

‎           It was reported that this was due to the alleged non-registration of their courses. Amid the crisis, UNILAG management announced another balloting opportunity for students who missed out on accommodation during the previous exercise.

‎          According to an official news bulletin obtained on January 5, 2026, the DSA office disclosed that applications for temporary hostel accommodation for the 2025/2026 academic session would open on Tuesday, January 6, 2026.

‎The bulletin stated in part:

   Eligibility Criteria: 200 to 500 Level students who have completed course registration for the 1st Semester of the 2025/2026 academic session, and are within the regular duration for their respective
programmes, are eligible to apply for bed spaces.

‎Application Process: Eligible students must apply online for temporary hostel accommodation during the designated application window, beginning at 2:00 p.m. on Tuesday, January 6, 2026.

‎Allocation Criteria: After the application window closes, temporary bed spaces will be allocated randomly among all eligible applicants.

‎The bulletin added that applications will close once the limited temporary bed spaces are filled, and notifications to shortlisted applicants will be sent on January 7, 2026. The payment deadline is January 9, 2026, and movement into the Hall of Residence will commence on January 13, 2026.

‎To address the extreme scarcity of hostel accommodation and its impact on students, the university has introduced a temporary arrangement known as Temporary Hostel Accommodation (Squatting). While acknowledging that the measure is not a permanent solution, the school emphasized that it is intended to assist students facing daily commuting challenges.

‎The bulletin clarified that allocation of temporary accommodation is the sole responsibility of the Student Affairs Division and that bona fide bed space holders are not to assign their spaces to another student.

‎Eligible students are required to submit a duly signed and stamped biodata form, proof of full payment of all school dues, and a copy of their course registration form for the current session. The bulletin reminded applicants that temporary accommodation is a privilege granted under exceptional circumstances, not a right.

Lagos to Begin BECE Registration

             
The Lagos State Government has announced the commencement of the 2026 e-registration and payment process for the Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) in schools across the state. The exercise, coordinated by the Lagos State Examinations Board, will run from Monday, January 26, to Friday, March 27, 2026, and is aimed at promoting a seamless, technology-driven registration process that enhances transparency, efficiency, and accountability.

              The Lagos State government disclose the  statement and published on its official X (formerly Twitter) handle on Tuesday. The statement implies that the initiative aligns with the State’s policy of leveraging technology to eliminate physical contact between school owners and the examination board while improving service delivery.

                Speaking about the registration process, the Registrar of the Lagos State Examinations Board, Adebayo Orunsolu, said that schools are required to use the newly issued School Code for registration. He explained that public junior secondary schools should download the Offline Data Capturing Application from the board’s website at bece.examsboard.lagosstate.gov.ng. He also added that approved private secondary schools, institutions operating with special permission, and continuing education centers should access the board’s portal via pay.examsboard.com.ng to complete payment, registration, and set up general login credentials.

                 He stated that approved private junior secondary schools and approved public continuing education centers will pay a registration fee of ₦10,000 per candidate, while junior secondary schools with special permission and private continuing education centers will pay ₦15,000 per candidate.

                  The Registrar further urged schools with candidates who have special needs, such as visual impairments or albinism, to inform the Examinations Board in writing before the examination to allow for proper preparations. He added a warning that late registration may attract penalties and noted that further details would be communicated to schools through their respective zonal officers

Tutor-General urges Principal to Improve Academic Standard, Safety

            Mr. Omotayo Layemo Sanni, the Tutor-General/Permanent Secretary (TG/PS) of Education District II, held a strategic meeting with principals of public secondary schools across the district. In his statement, the TG/PS stated that the meeting became imperative in order to raise the academic performance of the district, most especially in external examinations. While commending principals for their previous achievements, he encouraged them to raise the bar and improve on existing result. 

            Mr. Sanni reinforced the value of stakeholder engagement in school administration, nothing than effective bond with parents, alumni, community leaders, and other stakeholders remains key to achieving optimal academic outcomes. Pertaining the issue of school security, the TG/PS expressed concern over the rising level of insecurity in schools and informed the principals that the government would be recruiting security personnel for schools.

 However, he advised principals to actively involve community leaders in recommending trustworthy, reliable, and responsible candidates for engagement as security operatives. He further extols them on performances at different competitions both within the state and Nationality while urging them to continue to encourage the students in various extra-curricular activities for an all-round development of the students. Deliberations during the meeting largely focused on strategies for achieving outstanding results in WAEC and BECE examinations. Some Principals whose schools recorded exceptional performance in the last WAEC were invited to share best practice

           The notably principal of Civil Service Junior Model College, Ikorodu, Mrs. Bolanle Esho, spoke extensively on the significance of mentorship, cultivating a strong reading culture, and adopting the "teach-your-topic" approach among students. Similarly, Mrs. Yemisi Arogbodo, Principal of Aiyedere Ajibola Senior High School highlighted the need to effectively manage and promote only the promotable students as a strategic tool for improving academic performance. Other issues discussed included school security, effective administration, and general school management practices.

       The Director of Administration and Human Resources, Mrs. Mojisola Adeyemi-Fashola, was also on the ground to clarify certain administrative issues in schools, including the Staff Performance Appraisal and Development (SPADEV) and other data required by various government agencies. Furthermore, representatives of insurance brokers assigned to schools by the State Government were present at the meeting.

       They briefed principals on proper engagement with insurance brokers, as well as procedures and best practices for handling matters relating to the insurance of personnel and government property within schools. The meeting concluded with principals expressing renewed commitment to work collaboratively towards excellence in academics, safety, and overall school administration across Education District II.