Nigerian Students Face Deportation After UK Uni Expelled Them Over Unpaid Fees

Several Nigerian students at Teesside University in the United Kingdom have been asked to leave the school and return to Nigeria due to unpaid tuition fees. 

According to the university, its action to revoke the students’ visas is in alignment with the UK’s stringent immigration regulations.

Teesside’s insists Nigerian students must go

“Teesside University is proud to be a global institution with a diverse student population but is also very aware of its visa issuance and compliance obligations,” a university spokesperson explained to the BBC.

The university emphasises its commitment to meeting visa issuance and compliance requirements. “These rigorous external regulations are pivotal in supporting a strong immigration system and are beyond our control,” it added.

Despite the university’s efforts to assist students through tailored payment plans, it maintains that expulsion is the only recourse for those who fail to meet financial obligations, as this constitutes a violation of visa sponsorship rules.

Students Reaction

The situation has sparked protests among Nigerian students and the student community generally. They camped outside the campus in protest on Tuesday. The Students labeled the university’s decision as “heartless” and “unfair.” 

One of them, Adenike Ibrahim, shared her distress with the BBC, revealing she was dismissed from her program just as she was about to submit her dissertation due to an outstanding payment. 

Despite settling her dues, she and her young son are compelled to leave the UK, losing her chance to re-enroll. “I acknowledged my default on the payment, having already paid 90% of my tuition and attended all my classes. I reached out to negotiate an agreement, but my pleas fell on deaf ears,” Ibrahim recounted.

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Home Office Speaks

In reaction, the UK Home Office said that the power to grant or revoke visa sponsorship lies with the educational institutions themselves. 

It advises those whose visas have been canceled to either regularise their status or prepare to exit the UK. The affected Nigerian students have been informed they have no grounds for appeal.

Nigeria’s Plight

This is coming against the backdrop of Nigeria’s escalating economic challenges, marked by a foreign exchange crisis and a sharp inflation rise to 33.69% in April. 

As of now, there has been no comment from the Nigerian Government under President Bola Tinubu regarding the plight of these Nigerian students.