By Isaac Atunlute
Across Nigeria, rising student population and inadequate campus infrastructure have made housing one of the key challenges facing tertiary education.
At many private and public tertiary institutions nationwide, students are forced to rely on overcrowded off-campus housing often lacking basic amenities.
In a bid to address the issue, the newly constructed 58-room en-suite hostel has been commissioned and handed over to a Catholic university in Enugu State to meet its accommodation requirements.
The facility, located at the institution’s permanent campus in Ugwuomu, was donated by the Odengene Foundation, a philanthropic organisation committed to supporting access to education through infrastructure and student support services.
Equipped with modern facilities, the hostel is designed to provide safer, more decent living spaces for students, many of whom previously endured long treks to school or lived in cramped, unhygienic places.
This intervention aligns with the foundation’s broader commitment to advancng learning by enhancing the physical environments students study in.
Experts have long emphasised that adequate housing helps students significantly achieve well, especially where the household income is the lowest.
Research from the Interdisciplinary Journal of Education Research shows that poor housing quality marked by overcrowding, limited services, and unstable environments, can negatively impact student’s academic performance, leading to heightened stress, increased absenteeism, and elevated dropout risks in Nigerian tertiary institutions
The Odengene Foundation is part of a growing trend where private institutions and community-led organisations are stepping in to bridge the infrastructure deficit in Nigeria’s education sector.
In Ondo State, for example, the Akoko Development Group—a community-based, socio‑cultural association—initiated the construction of a 240‑capacity women’s hostel at Adekunle Ajasin University to support female students with safer, on-campus housing options.
Similarly, in Jos, the Association of National Accountants of Nigeria or ANAN, commissioned hostel blocks for students at a government-affiliated training college, adding more than 100 beds and communal facilities to tackle chronic accommodation shortages and improve students’ living conditions
These targeted investments close the gaps between the students from the urban cities and the students from the poorer states.
In Enugu State, where the Catholic university is located, many students struggle to find affordable, secure housing.
The new student’s hostel will relieve the pressure on the existing facilities and give more space for the students to live and learn in proximity to academic resources.
Such donations, if sustained and properly managed, have the potential to create lasting impact.
However, ensuring that these facilities benefit those who need them most depends on the institution’s commitment to transparency and policies that prioritise equitable access.
The Odengene Foundation has assured that the project will not be a one-time gesture. It plans to fund further development initiatives within the university, especially those that promote equal access to quality education.
As more private organisations contribute in this way, the hope is that students will no longer have to choose between a decent place and quality education but will instead thrive in environments where both are possible.
Rising student populations and inadequate infrastructure in Nigerian tertiary institutions have resulted in significant housing challenges, forcing many students to rely on overcrowded and poorly equipped off-campus accommodations. To address these issues, philanthropic organizations like the Odengene Foundation are investing in infrastructure improvements. The foundation recently donated a new 58-room en-suite hostel to a Catholic university in Enugu State, providing students with safer and more hygienic living conditions. This initiative aligns with existing research indicating that adequate housing improves students' academic performance and overall well-being.
Other organizations are making similar contributions throughout Nigeria. For instance, the Akoko Development Group is constructing a 240-capacity women's hostel at Adekunle Ajasin University, and the Association of National Accountants of Nigeria has added over 100 beds to a government-affiliated training college in Jos. These efforts bridge infrastructural gaps between urban and underserved areas, aiming to provide equitable access to quality education. Sustained and well-managed efforts like these could lead to lasting improvement, ensuring students won't have to choose between quality education and decent living spaces.
