Tuition fraud: Ex-staff, students defraud Ondo varsity of N457 million

Achievers University in Owo, Ondo State, Nigeria, has revealed a significant tuition fraud that has defrauded the institution of N457,508,645.00. The fraud, which occurred across the 2023/2024, 2024/2025, and 2025/2026 academic sessions, was masterminded by a former female staff member of the university's bursary department.

According to the acting Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Oyesoji Aremu, the scheme involved hacking into the students' payment portal. The accused staff member then lured 320 students into paying their school fees directly into her personal bank account. While the students believed their fees were paid, the university's portal was fraudulently updated to reflect payment, allowing them to obtain financial clearance without the funds reaching the institution.

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The exercise has revealed that the fraud was masterminded by a female worker, an alumnus of the Department of Accounting of our university, who was later employed to work at the university bursary. She resigned from the services of the university in April 2025.

Many students were reportedly enticed to participate by offers of discounted fees or commissions. The investigation has identified 11 university staff members and 34 students who acted as agents in recruiting other students for the fraudulent activity. An external individual working at the Federal Medical Centre Owo has also been implicated as an agent.

The university has stated that the 320 students who paid into the mastermind's account, along with the six students who acted as agents, will face the students' disciplinary committee. The 11 staff members involved will be subjected to the senior staff disciplinary committee. The alleged mastermind is currently under police investigation for potential prosecution. The university has pledged transparency throughout the investigation and stated that the audit of student fee payments will continue, examining records from the past two graduating classes.

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The fraudulent activities affected three academic sections: 2023/2024, 2024/2025, and 2025/2026 Academic Sessions and 320 students paid a total sum of N457,508,645:00 school fees into the personal account of the said lady, who in turn fraudulently cleared such students on the portal without the university receiving the money.