As the 1989 graduates of the Department of Mass Communication, University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN)—proudly known as Jacksonites—we are compelled to speak out on the growing disconnect between the massive public funding allocated to our alma mater and the worsening state of student hostels, dilapidating infrastructure, declining candidate preference, and UNN’s slipping position in national university rankings.
If the sordid pictures and sorry videos of student hostels of the great University of Nigeria, Nsukka, littering the social media are anything to go by, national mourners and sympathizers now need to turn their wailing attention to the fall of what was once an academic citadel that had birthed some of the most illustrious sons and daughters of Nigeria, South Africa, Cameroon, Ghana, Africa and the world.
In one of such videos, the state of one room in Eni Njoku hostel says it all—broken cupboards, peeling walls, dilapidated windows, dangling electric cables, jagged beds—this school is crying for urgent rehabilitation. Zik’s Flats is a national disgrace. This facility is more than a prized student accommodation; it is an iconic legacy bequeathed to Nigeria by the founder of the university and Nigeria’s first president, Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe. Today, the 20 blocks of flats are in total ruins and uninhabitable.
UNN’s infrastructural deficits extend beyond poor accommodation. Heart rending images of students with plastic buckets (village style) scavenging for water, epileptic power supply, and terrible roads are regular features of the social.
But how could this be? Our Great University, Nigeria’s first indigenous university and the pride of the Black Race, has become unrecognizable.
We lived in those spaces and have inspiring recollections. During our time, UNN had some of the best student accommodation among Nigerian universities. How are the mighty fallen?
It is important to note that there is a direct correlation between a student’s residential experience and overall academic performance and self-development. A conducive university accommodation significantly impacts a student’s overall development. It promotes holistic university experiences, fosters cross-cultural interactions, and fosters global citizenship. Housing students from different sociocultural and economic backgrounds in quality campus hostels encourages active participation in clubs, events, and leadership opportunities. However, what we see in the social media postings are appalling slums unfit for students in the 21st century; it raises the pertinent question of what manner of citizens and leaders will emerge from these rat holes.
Funding vs. Reality: The Stark Contrast
In the 2025 federal budget, UNN received N44.38 billion, the highest allocation among Nigerian universities (see table below). That is roughly N3.6 billion each month. So, where is the money going? Since there have been no reports or sightings of pythons in the treasury department, it is
fair to say the allocated funds are not rotting in the belly of a money-eating reptilian.
N44 billion, by no means a jaw-dropping sum, should still have translated into significant improvements in infrastructure, research, and student welfare. Yet, reports from students and social media show hostels plagued by leaking roofs, overcrowded rooms, and poor sanitation—conditions that undermine both learning and dignity.
But it is not only in poor infrastructure that UNN is losing ground. A 2024 national ranking and candidates’ preference of universities showed that UNN has fallen outside the top five among federal universities.
Whereas (from the table above) the University of Ibadan and the University of Lagos, which received significantly less funding, are ranked first and second, and the University of Nigeria has slipped to sixth position in the national ranking.
The decline in first-choice applications to UNN in recent JAMB admissions is a direct reflection of these infrastructural failings and the university’s eroding reputation (see table below). Students and parents are increasingly opting for universities with better facilities and transparent management, such as the University of Lagos and Covenant University.
The Federal Ministry of Education and the National Universities Commission (NUC) have repeatedly emphasized the need for accountability and quality assurance in university management. The NUC’s “Quality Assurance Policy” mandates regular audits, transparent reporting, and performance-based funding to ensure that resources are used efficiently and that universities deliver on their core mandates. The Ministry’s 2024 policy statement reaffirmed that “public funds must translate into tangible improvements in infrastructure, research, and student experience.” However, the situation at UNN suggests a disturbing gap between policy and practice.
Our Legacy and Our Concern
As alumni, we owe our great institution a responsibility. The Jackson School of Journalism (Department of Mass Communication) has produced generations of journalists, communicators, and public intellectuals who have shaped Nigeria’s media landscape. We recall our days at Nsukka with pride, but also with the conviction that the university must live up to its historic role as a beacon of excellence. As Jacksonites, we have a duty to demand better. Our department’s alumni association has a tradition of celebrating excellence and supporting the university. But alumni contributions cannot substitute for responsible stewardship of public funds. Today, however, we see troubling signs that UNN is falling short of its mandate, despite unprecedented financial support from the federal government.
A Call for Urgent Action
The disconnect between UNN’s funding and its outcomes is not just a matter of statistics—it is about the future of Nigerian education and the lives of thousands of students. We, the Mass Communication Class of 1989, call on the university administration, the Federal Ministry of Education, the NUC, and all stakeholders to act decisively. Let us restore UNN to its rightful place as a leader in Nigerian and African higher education.
To rebuild the dilapidated student hostels and restore the humanity of the students living there, we propose that the National Alumni Association step up without trepidation and commission an independent assessment of student residential facilities and associated structures with the objective to unbundle them. Part of the recommendations must leverage UNN’s huge alumni network to establish companies outside the direct control of the university administration to take over the management of the hostels. There should be a realistic business plan to return UNN’s hostels to a living-learning hub that is ready and able to host future global citizens and leaders. Public-private partnership models for investing in and managing UNN hostels already exist and should now be given immediate primacy.
Clearly, funding is not, fundamentally, the root cause of the decay and underwhelming performance in the premium indicators of Nigeria’s first indigenous university.
As the legend of African literature and University of Nigeria’s icon, Chinua Achebe, succinctly put it, it is a question of leadership. We demand that the Governing Council and other authorities go beyond primordial and horizontal considerations and recruit only the best to govern our university.
We also demand that the university authorities come forth and give an account of their stewardship. The cry of students, parents, alumni, and other stakeholders has reached high heavens, and so, we request answers for accountability and responsive governance. We request that our Great University return back to the good old glory days of excellence.
Signed,
Mass Communication Class of 1989 (Jacksonites ’89)
University of Nigeria, Nsukka
