UTELNOVA

Nigerian parents and guardians are facing fresh financial pressure as the cost of school fees, textbooks, accommodation, and other back-to-school expenses rises ahead of the new academic session

Checks across primary, secondary and tertiary institutions show that many families will spend more this session than they did last year, as schools and education-related businesses adjust to the rising cost of living.

 Textbook prices for key subjects, including English, Mathematics and Science, have reportedly increased by about 25 to 30 per cent

A bookseller in Agege, Lagos, identified as Felix, blamed the increase on higher printing costs and limited competition among recognised publishers.

“New publishers are finding it difficult to come into the business. Moreover, the cost of printing has gone up, and that has surely affected the cost of textbooks,” he said while speaking to Vanguard

For many families, the rising costs have made preparations for resumption increasingly difficult.

A mother of four, Mrs Okoye Ukamaka Priscilla, said school fees, books, toiletries, provisions and other necessities had become a major financial burden.

“The challenges are basically money, how to raise money to pay school fees and buy the necessary things they need,” she said.

Students are also preparing for the new academic year despite the financial pressure. Okoye Onyedikachi Steve, a 400-level university student in Lagos, said he was getting back into his reading routine and organising his notes ahead of resumption.

“I am getting back into the reading habit and organising my notes from last semester so that I am not starting cold,” he said.

In Taraba State, parents have similarly expressed concern over rising tuition and other charges in private schools. One parent, Mary Pius, said some schools increase fees and introduce new charges at the beginning of academic sessions without giving parents enough opportunity to question the increases.

Meanwhile, state governments are also preparing for health challenges ahead of resumption. In Bauchi, authorities said measures had been taken to contain the threat of diphtheria after cases were detected in some areas.

The state’s Primary Health Care Development Agency chairman, Dr Rilwanu Mohammed, said the early response helped bring the situation under control. Schools in Bauchi are scheduled to reopen on September 14, 2026.