The National Association of Nigerian Students declared a state of emergency on student hostels across universities, polytechnics and colleges of education on Tuesday, citing years of institutional neglect that have rendered many accommodation facilities uninhabitable.

The NANS President, Akinteye Babatunde, made the declaration in Abuja during the inauguration of the 2026 National Executive Council, warning that the welfare, safety and dignity of Nigerian students could no longer be compromised.

"The state of students' hostels across our tertiary institutions is pathetically disheartening. Many hostels are in deplorable and dilapidated conditions, and they continue to deteriorate with little or no attention from the relevant authorities," Akinteye stated.

He added that students were being forced into environments marked by poor sanitation, inadequate facilities and other hazards, describing such conditions as unfit for institutions of higher learning.

Akinteye pledged to engage relevant authorities under what he called the "Epoch Agenda," vowing that his administration would not betray student trust. "I refuse to be counted among those who enjoy the harvest yet forget those who planted the seeds," he said.

President Bola Tinubu, represented by Senior Special Assistant on Student Engagement Sunday Asefon, urged the new leadership to pursue constructive engagement with the government on education reforms. Tinubu also commended the immediate past NANS leadership for exposing institutions allegedly diverting funds from the Nigerian Education Loan Fund.

The Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, represented by Mrs Amy Igwe of the Federal Ministry of Education, called on NANS to partner with the government in sensitising students on the loan fund while promoting unity and skills acquisition among members.

The Minister of Youth Development, Ayodele Olawande, urged student leaders to sustain dialogue with the government, noting that industrial harmony had helped maintain stability across tertiary institutions.

The Vice Chancellor of Olusegun Agagu University of Science and Technology, Prof. Temi Ologunorisa, called on NANS to rebuild student trust and collaborate with stakeholders to tackle insecurity and infrastructure deficits, pledging support from the Committee of Vice Chancellors of Nigerian Universities.

The accommodation crisis has forced thousands of students into costly off campus housing, with overcrowded rooms, leaking roofs, and erratic electricity persisting across public institutions despite Tertiary Education Trust Fund interventions, critics say remain inadequate.