Teesside University in the United Kingdom has announced a new initiative to support Nigerian students facing severe financial difficulties by funding their flights home.

This move came after several students were removed from their courses and ordered to leave the UK due to their inability to pay tuition fees.

The financial crisis in Nigeria, exacerbated by a shift from a seven-installment to a three-installment payment plan by the university, left many students struggling to cover their expenses. A local food charity reported that 75 per cent of its clients are now Nigerian students, highlighting the extent of their financial hardship.

On May 22, 2024, a group of Nigerian students at Teesside University were expelled from their courses and ordered to leave the United Kingdom due to difficulties in paying their tuition fees on time.

The students cited the devaluation of the naira as a significant barrier to meeting their financial obligations, which has led to a breach of their visa sponsorship requirements.

Several students found themselves locked out of their university accounts, reported to the Home Office, and mandated to leave the UK. The university maintained that strict external regulations necessitate these actions.

The affected students, numbering 60, expressed deep distress and disappointment, accusing the University of being unsupportive and “heartless.”

They urged the university for assistance, after witnessing their peers face severe consequences for late payments.

On May 29, 2024, the Federal Government stepped in to address the deportation orders issued against some Nigerian students at Teesside University.

A delegation led by a representative of the Nigerian Embassy in the UK, Amb. Christian Okeke, along with leaders of the Nigerian Students Union in the UK, met with the University’s management to seek a resolution.

However, following protests and the intervention of the Nigerian government, the university has re-enrolled some affected students and opened a relief fund.

“We are working with a small group who need to return to their home country and are opening an international relief fund to offer additional financial support for these unexpected travel costs,” a university spokesperson told the BBC.

The university is also offering some students the option to complete their studies remotely from Nigeria or to return to the UK at a later date.

The BBC understands some students have lodged legal appeals. (The PUNCH)

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