UK University Provides Flight Assistance to Expelled Nigerian Students

Teesside University in the United Kingdom has launched an initiative to support Nigerian students facing severe financial difficulties by covering their flights home, according to a BBC report on Tuesday.

This decision follows the removal of several students from their courses and orders for them to leave the UK due to unpaid tuition fees.

The financial crisis in Nigeria, worsened by the university’s shift from a seven-installment to a three-installment payment plan, has left many students struggling.

A local food charity revealed that 75% of its clients are now Nigerian students, underscoring their financial plight.

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

Students attributed their financial struggles to the naira’s devaluation, which led to breaches of their visa sponsorship requirements.

Many students found themselves locked out of their university accounts, reported to the Home Office, and required to leave the UK.

The university insisted that strict external regulations necessitated these actions.

The 60 affected students expressed deep distress and disappointment, criticizing the university for being unsupportive and “heartless.”

They banded together to urge the university for assistance after seeing their peers face severe consequences for late payments.

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

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

Following protests and the intervention of the Nigerian government, the university has re-enrolled some affected students and established 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 reports that some students have lodged legal appeals.