Nigerian Students Ordered To Leave UK Over Failure To Complete Tuition Fees payment

Several Nigerian students at Teesside University in the UK have been ordered to leave the country after failing to pay their tuition fees, a situation exacerbated by the devaluation of the naira which depleted their savings. According to a BBC report, these students protested on campus on Tuesday in response to the university’s decision to report them to the Home Office.

The affected students initially demonstrated that they had sufficient funds for tuition fees and living expenses before commencing their studies at Teesside University. However, when they defaulted on payments, the university reported them to the Home Office. A university spokesperson stated that non-payment of fees violated visa sponsorship requirements, forcing them to inform immigration authorities.

The Home Office highlighted that the responsibility for visa sponsorship decisions lies with educational institutions. They informed the students that they could not appeal the decision, as their entry into the UK was based on their enrollment at the university. The students claimed they attempted to arrange payment plans with the university, but their efforts were ignored.

Nigeria is currently experiencing high inflation, diminishing the purchasing power of the naira. Recent policies to introduce new naira notes and allow the market to dictate the currency’s value have further complicated the financial situation. One student, Adenike Ibrahim, was close to completing her dissertation after two years of study but was expelled and reported to the Home Office after missing a payment. She and her son were ordered to leave the UK. Although Ibrahim paid the outstanding fees, she has not been re-enrolled to complete her studies.

Another student, Esther Obigwe, described experiencing severe distress, leading her to antidepressants after being forced to withdraw from her course. She expressed her frustration, stating, “For over two months, I’ve barely slept or eaten, and I don’t understand why this is happening to us; we didn’t do anything wrong.”