The position followed a meeting between university management and representatives of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), Joint Campus Committee (JCC), Kogi State chapter, the Students’ Union Government (SUG) and the National Association of Kogi State Students (NAKOSS).

The meeting, held at the university’s council chamber on Thursday, October 22, 2026, was convened to address concerns surrounding the application of the new fee structure. According to a statement issued by the university’s Director of Public Affairs, Uredo Omale, management presented relevant documents and responded to questions from the student representatives.

Vice-Chancellor Professor Salisu Ogbo Usman explained that the university adopted a unified fee structure approved by the Kogi State Government for its three state-owned universities. He said the arrangement took effect from the 2024/2025 academic session and affected the institution’s previous fee schedule. He added that an audit query concerning the earlier implementation also informed the process.

Usman clarified that the implementation does not apply to students currently in 400 and 500 levels. He urged students, parents and other stakeholders to compare charges for corresponding departments and programmes across the three state-owned universities to establish whether the approved structure had been applied consistently.

The vice-chancellor also pledged that the university would reverse any excess charges, issue refunds and apologise if a comparison revealed that students at PAAU had been charged more than the approved amount.

Chairman of NANS JCC in Kogi State, Adams O. Abdulrazaq, described the meeting as a constructive step towards resolving the concerns through dialogue. He commended the university management for providing documents and explanations that helped student representatives better understand the basis of the fee arrangement.

The outgoing SUG President, Rilwan Abubakar Obaje, said the information presented at the meeting supported the management’s position that it had not independently increased school fees. He called for continued engagement between the university and student bodies to address concerns about the financial burden on students.

Obaje also appealed to management to allow the students’ union election to proceed. In response, Usman promised that the election would be conducted without further delay and asked student leaders to help maintain security and order during the exercise.

The vice-chancellor referred to an incident during a June 11, 2026, Final Year Brethren celebration, saying stakeholders should work together to prevent a recurrence. The university’s statement did not provide further details about the incident.

Meanwhile, NAKOSS President at PAAU, Gabriel Samuel Onorouyiza, expressed his association’s readiness to collaborate with the university management and other student groups to promote student welfare and maintain peace on campus.

Usman encouraged students and parents to obtain information through official university channels and verify reports before sharing them on social media. He also urged eligible students to explore the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) as a possible source of financial support.

Although student representatives welcomed the explanation provided at the meeting, the university’s assurance that it would refund any excess charges remains important for students seeking to confirm whether the unified fee structure has been applied correctly to their respective programmes.

Reporting by TalkNaijaMedia