OAU students protest N15,000 portal fee, union advises against payment

The Obafemi Awolowo University Students’ Union has advised students at the university to hold off on paying a N15,000 portal access fee while awaiting clarification. The advisory comes amid concerns over the charge, which the university’s Division of Student Affairs describes as an existing component of sundry charges students have paid in the past.

The union, represented by its President, Olalekan Kujembola, Secretary-General, AbdulRoheem Arogundade, and Public Relations Officer, Isaac Oluwagbami, stressed that students should not be financially pressured and urged them to refrain from making the payment pending further developments. The union emphasized that the e-portal is an indispensable platform for critical academic activities, including fee payments, course registration, and hostel accommodation ballotings.

Despite the security concerns, the union remains committed to ensuring that any financial arrangement related to the portal does not disadvantage any students. Meanwhile, the university’s Dean of Student Affairs, Prof. J. A. Odedire, clarified that the N15,000 charge is an increase from the previous N6,000, aimed at enhancing the security of the electronic portal and protecting students’ data.