By Timileyin Ajibola
School resumption at the University of Lagos often comes with excitement, but it is also marked by stress, uncertainty, and significant challenges for many students. One of the most pressing of these challenges is accommodation.
Hostel allocation remains one of the most anxiety‑ridden aspects of resumption, raising questions about whether the problem stems from poor management of the allocation process or from the university’s inability to provide sufficient housing for its growing student population.
Over the years, the severe shortage of hostel spaces has given rise to what students commonly refer to as “squatting.” Squatting—staying in hostels without being officially allocated a bedspace—has become a survival strategy for many UNILAG students. While it is far from desirable, often involving stress, discomfort, and occasional embarrassment, students continue to embrace it due to the lack of viable alternatives.
As the practice became widespread, it inevitably attracted the attention of the university management. For several semesters, the authorities openly expressed disapproval of squatting, categorising it as a prohibited act. However, students questioned the practicality of this stance.
“But is it really possible for all students to be bonafide residents?” asked Dele, one of the students interviewed.
In response to ongoing complaints, the university introduced a hostel allocation system that allows eligible students to apply for their preferred hostels, after which a randomised allocation is conducted. While this system was intended to promote fairness, it has failed to address the core issue: inadequate hostel capacity. For many students, accommodation still depends largely on luck.
“What happens to students luck doesn’t favour?” Dele further asked. “For a university as prestigious as UNILAG, which admits students from across the country, what happens to those who do not live in Lagos and fail to secure a bedspace?”
The University of Lagos currently has 11 hostels—seven female hostels and four male hostels—each capable of accommodating about 800 students. Despite this, the available bedspaces remain grossly insufficient. With an annual intake of about 8,000 to 9,000 students and an estimated undergraduate population of between 35,000 and 45,000, the imbalance between hostel capacity and student population is evident.
This disparity has made the allocation process increasingly competitive, leaving a significant number of students—both freshers and returning students, popularly known as staylites—without accommodation after each allocation exercise.
For years, the university’s opposition to squatting has been met with resistance from students, largely because alternative options are either scarce or unaffordable. Although the management has previously advised students without hostel allocations to seek private accommodation off campus, many students argue that this solution is unrealistic.
According to several students interviewed, the high cost of private hostels places them out of reach for the average undergraduate. Dele, a 300‑level student, noted that many students are already struggling to cope with recent school fee increases, with some funding their education independently.
“Paying for a private hostel outside campus is almost impossible for some students because of the exorbitant rent,” he said.
During the 2024/2025 academic session, the university appeared to take a step toward addressing the situation. Management introduced a “squatting pass,” a measure that formally recognised squatters. Under this system, students intending to squat were required to register at the Dean of Students’ Affairs office alongside their host. Successful applicants were issued passes granting them legal permission to stay in hostels. Although this policy did not eliminate the accommodation crisis, it eased the burden on many students. Legal squatters were no longer subjected to harassment from hostel porters or forced to sneak in and out of hostels, allowing for freer movement and reduced anxiety.
However, with the commencement of a new academic session on October 27, 2025, familiar problems have resurfaced. Hostel applications opened from November 17 to November 27, followed by the allocation process. Predictably, many students were once again left without accommodation. Public sampling conducted among students revealed widespread dissatisfaction. Several final‑year students reported being unable to secure hostel spaces, while others said they could not even complete the application process due to technical issues on the student portal.
Ada, a final‑year student, stated that a large number of students were affected. According to her, by the sixth week of the academic calendar, many students were still without accommodation, heightening anxiety and uncertainty.
“Most students are left with no choice but to return to their default survival mode, which is squatting,” she said.
Hassan, a 200‑level student, described the atmosphere around hostel access as tense. He explained that squatters have not been permitted into hostels this session, as porters have been instructed to allow only bonafide residents.
“This has become a major problem and a serious concern,” Hassan said, adding that several students have formed WhatsApp groups with names such as ‘Survival of Squatters’ to discuss possible ways of appealing to the university management.
As the university enters its ninth week, a growing number of non‑bonafide students remain unable to resume fully. Some miss classes due to long commuting distances, while others have yet to return to campus at all.
Kachi, another student interviewed, expressed frustration over the recurring situation.
“Squatters should not have to go through this mental and physical stress every year,” she said. “If the school cannot build more hostels, then squatting should be permanently legalised, or at least hostel authorities should stop harassing students. The constant raids at odd hours are unfair.” Ada also called on the university to take responsibility for the situation.
“The shortage of bedspaces is not the fault of the students. The school should provide accommodation proportional to the number of students it admits. More hostels can be built. This is a serious issue, and I hope the management comes to the aid of its students,” she said.
As students continue to grapple with uncertainty, many are left wondering what concrete steps the University of Lagos will take to address its persistent accommodation crisis.
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