HIGH COST OF LIVING AND STUDENT ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE IN THE UNIVERSITY OF PORT HARCOURT

TOPIC IS SUITABLE FOR:
1-Economics
2-Educational Psychology
3-Sociology
4-Educational Management

TOPIC: HIGH COST OF LIVING AND STUDENT ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE IN THE UNIVERSITY OF PORT HARCOURT

TABLE OF CONTENT
Abstract
CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background of the Study
1.2 Statement of the Research Problem
1.3 Objectives of the Study
1.4 Research Questions
1.5 The Scope of the Study
1.6 Significance of the Study
1.7 Definition of Terms
CHAPTER TWO: LITERATURE REVIEW
2.1 Introduction
2.2 Conceptual Review
2.3 Theoretical Framework
2.4 Empirical Studies
CHAPTER THREE: RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
3.1 Introduction
3.2 Research Design
3.3 Population of Study
3.4 Sampling and Sampling Technique
3.5 Validation of Research Instrument
3.6 Method of Data Collection
3.7 Method of Data Analysis
3.8 Questionnaire Administration
CHAPTER FOUR: DATA ANALYSIS, RESULT AND DISCUSSION
4.1 Introduction
4.2 Presentation and Analysis of Data
4.3 Re-statement of Research Questions
4.4 Test of Hypotheses
CHAPTER FIVE: SUMMARY, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION
5.1 Introduction
5.2 Summary of Findings
5.3 Conclusion
5.4 Recommendation
5.5 Suggestion for Further Study
References
Appendix

ABSTRACT
This study investigated "High Cost of Living and Students’ Academic Performance in the University of Port Harcourt". The objectives were to investigate the financial challenges students face due to the high cost of living, assess the impact of these challenges on academic performance, explore coping strategies adopted by students, and recommend solutions to mitigate the effects. A descriptive survey research design was adopted to provide a realistic snapshot of students’ experiences. The study population comprised approximately 40,000 full-time undergraduate students at the University of Port Harcourt during the 2024/2025 academic session. Using Taro Yamane’s formula, a sample size of 396 students was determined, selected through stratified random sampling across faculties and simple random sampling within each stratum. A structured questionnaire validated by experts was used as the primary instrument for data collection, focusing on financial experiences, academic performance, and coping mechanisms. Data were analyzed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS), applying descriptive statistics (frequency, percentage, mean, standard deviation) and inferential statistics (Pearson correlation analysis) at a 0.05 significance level. Results revealed that 87% of students experience financial stress due to high living costs, which significantly correlates with a decrease in academic performance (r = 0.756, p < 0.05), increased absenteeism (mean = 3.86), and lower motivation levels (mean = 3.72). Coping strategies like part-time work were common but often negatively impacted academic focus. Based on these findings, it was recommended that the University should subsidize accommodation and meals, governments should expand scholarship programs, universities should provide financial literacy education, and private organizations should establish endowment funds to assist students financially and enhance academic success.

CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION (Preview)
1.1 Background of the Study
The concept of academic achievement is central to comprehending the operation of school systems and learning processes of pupils across the globe. Academic achievement is a benchmark of the extent to which a pupil, educator, or school has progressed in achieving their immediate or long-term educational goals. It is often measured by way of metrics such as grade point averages (GPA), scores on tests, attendance at classes, submission of assignments, and graduation percentages. These steps provide a glimpse into the degree to which students learn and demonstrate their capabilities in various disciplines. As Okon (2022) reminds us, academic success is a multifaceted phenomenon, conditioned by an interplay of cognitive, emotional, and social factors. Thus, understanding academic success is not simply measuring grades; it is examining the conditions under which learning occurs, and extraneous variables that support or hinder student performance.
At the university level, indeed, academic performance is a major predictor of student achievement and institutional success. It is the basis upon which scholarships are awarded, one advances to further studies, and obtains future employment opportunities. Parameters such as cumulative grade point average (CGPA), completion rates, and academic awards are some of the global measures used to assess academic performance (Obasi & Nwachukwu, 2021). Besides, Adebayo and Emeka (2024) argue that such findings are largely influenced by socio-economic conditions, where economic stability is most commonly cited as a main determinant. The relationship between living conditions, including economic challenges, and academic achievement among students has therefore attracted significant research attention due to fears that economic adversity could get in the way of students' academic performance.
Cost of living as per Okafor and Eneh (2023) is the price one pays to sustain a certain standard of living by meeting expenses such as housing, food, tax, and healthcare. Globally, the cost of living has been rising steadily with inflation, political instability, and economic downturns being some of the factors contributing to this. According to Eze and Ogbuka (2023), the global inflation surge has disproportionately affected the most vulnerable populations, including students. Increasing food, accommodation, transport, and learning materials prices place tremendous strain on university students, particularly those from low- and middle-income households. In a bid to support this assertion, Ogbuagu, Ohalete, Nwaoga, Uroko, and Onyeanuna (2024) add that the increasing economic pressures have witnessed most students balancing school with part-time jobs, thereby undermining their academic activities. Such a situation leaves one with an impression of how economic uncertainty on the global scene can make its way into the education sector and affect students' academic activities.
In the African context, the cost of living has taken on extreme forms from past, political, and economic instabilities. Ibe and Nwafor (2021) observed that in the majority of African countries, including Nigeria, students have such huge financial issues that affect not just their academic performance but also their mental health and overall lives. Because, as Umeh and Chukwuma (2022) hypothesize, the insufficiency of support structures to guarantee sufficient funds and inflation in the prices of such essentials as food, shelter, and transport has made university life more unstable for students, students are forced by this fact to make tough choices between meeting basic survival needs and allocating sufficient time and resources to study, a demoralizing trade that adversely affects academic performance.
Zooming in on Nigeria, economic conditions have been exceptionally harsh of late, driven by currency devaluations, inflation, and an ailing economy. All these have significantly contributed to the living expenses for the average Nigerian  student. Eze and Ogbuka (2023) point out that the rising cost burden has seen many students resort to all sorts of survival mechanisms, including taking multiple side hustles, reducing the number of times they eat meals in a day, or skipping class to eliminate transportation costs. In agreement, Okon (2022) asserted that such coping mechanisms, as much as they are required, would detract from the students' focus and time management, two critical determinants of excellent performance in academics. Accordingly, therefore, it is evident that the bigger economic struggles seep into the academic lives of the students, impacting their academic lives importantly.
At the University of Port Harcourt, such issues are not abstract but the quotidian reality for countless students. Port Harcourt is located in the Niger Delta region of Nigeria, a region of high-level industrial and commercial activity, which ironically coexists alongside widespread socio-economic inequalities. As Obasi and Nwachukwu (2021) purport, University of Port Harcourt students have certain challenges: the cost of accommodation, city transport, food, and other essential services has skyrocketed in recent years. In support of this, Ogbuagu et al. (2024) cited that students most frequently reported difficulties in reconciling money demands with scholarly duties, with the consequence being more absences, less study time, and higher psychological stress—each of which for academic performance.
Also added to Port Harcourt's high cost of living are infrastructural problems such as an erratic power supply, water shortages, and growing insecurity, each of which adds to the cost and stress of students. Adebayo and Emeka (2024) affirm that the socio-economic status of a university matters in determining performance among students; hence, the complex interplay of all these elements in Port Harcourt cannot be ignored when assessing academic performance. Students facing pressure to cater to basic needs will not likely prioritize studying, get involved in academic activity, or even attend lectures regularly, as Ogbuagu et al. (2024) further elaborated.
The broader implications of this issue extend beyond specific students to the national and global education systems. Economic disadvantage that leads to poor academic performance can lead to higher dropout rates, reduced graduate employment, and ultimately a less qualified workforce (Dike, Anyanwu, Bitrus, Hadiza, & Folashade, 2018). This is a significant challenge for Nigeria's developmental aspirations, particularly at a moment when education is increasingly being linked with economic rivalry (Ngonso et al., 2025).
Given the strategic position of higher education in national development, the issue of high living costs and their impact on the academic performance of students in the University of Port Harcourt is an issue of concern. As Umeh and Chukwuma (2022) aptly pointed out, the academic performance of students not only determines individual fates but also influences the quality of the national workforce. It is thus vital to understand the mechanisms of the interaction between economic deprivation and academic achievement. It is thus this broader literature base that the research places itself in, yet borrows from the latest thinking to explore the complex ways in which the cost of living impacts the performance of students at the University of Port Harcourt.

1.2 Statement of the Research Problem
Inflation has become an insurmountable challenge facing university students worldwide, with profound impacts being experienced in the developing countries like Nigeria. The students are increasingly stressed to accommodate huge expenses on accommodations, food, transport, and study materials. The costs have, according to Ogbuagu et al. (2024), forced students into taking up part-time jobs, reduced study hours, and abandonment of studies. Eze and Ogbuka (2023) also note that economic disadvantage not only impacts the ability of students to fund their education but also their mental health, resulting in poor academic outcomes.
In the case of Nigeria, economic insecurity characterized by inflation, currency depreciation, and elevated levels of unemployment further worsened the cost of living crisis. According to Eze and Ogbuka (2023), the students in such public universities as the University of Port Harcourt were disproportionately disadvantaged with no appropriate support systems in place to insulate them against the financial burden. According to Okon (2022), the outcome strain leads to disengagement academically, higher dropout levels, and performance in school failure among affected learners. Adebayo and Emeka (2024) affirm the same by describing that students coming from low-income backgrounds are highly vulnerable, often struggling to maintain regular attendance and academic expectations within these challenging conditions.
In the University of Port Harcourt, the impact of the high cost of living is more and more finding expression in students' academic existence. Issues like the exorbitant cost of accommodation, rising transport fares, and food prices have created further layers of adversity for students who are already coping with extreme academic pressures. Obasi and Nwachukwu (2021) further state that such financial strains lead to emotional stress and decreased concentration, which are antithetical to academic success. In addition, Umeh and Chukwuma (2022) observe that unless action is taken, the rising cost of living can still lower the quality of education and students' overall academic performance, endangering individual development and national development goals. The research gap concerning exactly how the high cost of living affects the students of the University of Port Harcourt obstructs the establishment of precise solutions.
While there have been research studies probing fiscal stress and academic performance in broader contexts, not many have examined the localized socio-economic dynamics of Nigerian universities (Abanobi, Abanobi, Ibe, & Airiavbere, 2022; Idris, Umar, Majidadi, Saidu, & Ahmed, 2024). Such localized issues are important for policymakers and university leaders to understand to enable them to come up with effective interventions to reduce fiscal stress and improve academic performance. Without such kind of research, students will continue to be faced with the barriers that deprive them of their full potential, ultimately affecting Nigeria's general educational and economic growth. To this extent, based on the case study of The University of Port Harcourt, the current study seeks to explore the intersection between high cost of living and student academic performance. 
1.3. Objectives of the Study 
The aim and objectives of studying the "High Cost of Living and Student Academic Performance in the University of Port Harcourt" typically focus on understanding how financial pressures impact students' educational experiences. Specifically, the study seeks to:
i.Assess the specific financial challenges faced by students due to high cost of living in the university of Port Harcourt.
ii.Determine students perception of how high cost of living affect their focus, motivation and ability to succeed academically.
iii.Explore the strategies that student employ to manage financial stress and how the strategies impact their academic engagement and performance.
Iv. Offer insights and recommendations to the university and policy makers on how to improve student welfare and support academic success in the contest of high cost of living.
OTHER PARTS OF CHAPTER ONE INCLUDE:
1.4 Research Questions
1.5 Research Hypotheses
1.6 The Scope of the Study
1.7 Significance of the Study
1.8 Definition of Terms

CHAPTER TWO
REVIEW OF LITERATURE (Preview)
This chapter critically examines relevant literature that would assist in explaining the research problem and, furthermore, recognizes the efforts of scholars who had previously contributed immensely to similar research. The chapter intends to deepen the understanding of the study and close the perceived gaps. This chapter, therefore, focuses on the concept of high cost of living, the concept of student academic performance, causes and effects of high cost of living, and the relationship between high cost of living and student academic performance, with particular reference to the University of Port Harcourt. The chapter covers the following subheadings:

2.1 Conceptual Framework
2.2 Theoretical Framework
2.3 Empirical Review
2.4 Summary of Literature Review

CHAPTER THREE
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY (Preview)
Research Design: The study adopted a descriptive survey research design.
Population of the Study: The population of the study comprises approximately full-time undergraduate students enrolled at the University of Port Harcourt during the 2024/2025 academic session.
Sample Size Determination: The study adopted the Taro Yamane formula to determine a sample size of approximately 396 students.
Sampling Technique: The study employed stratified random sampling and simple random sampling techniques to select the individual respondents.
Research Instrument: The study utilized a structured questionnaire as the instrument for data collection, which was validated through face and content validation by experts in educational research and measurement.
Methods of Data Analysis: The collected data were analyzed using frequencies, percentages, means, and standard deviations to summarize and present the demographic characteristics of the respondents and their responses. Inferential statistics, particularly Pearson correlation analysis, were used to test the hypotheses at the 0.05 level of significance.

CHAPTER FOUR: DATA ANALYSIS, RESULT AND DISCUSSION
MAJOR FINDINGS (Preview)

i. The study found that students at the University of Port Harcourt face significant financial challenges as a result of the high cost of living, as evidenced by mean scores ranging from 3.22 to 3.38, which are above the acceptance benchmark of 2.50. The corresponding hypothesis test further showed a correlation coefficient (r) of 0.32, t-value of 3.45, and p-value of 0.001 (p < 0.05), leading to the rejection of the null hypothesis. This indicates a significant relationship between the high cost of living and the financial challenges faced by students.

ii. The study found that the high cost of living negatively affects students’ academic focus, motivation, and performance, as evidenced by mean scores ranging from 3.18 to 3.34, which are above the acceptance benchmark of 2.50. The corresponding hypothesis test further showed a correlation coefficient (r) of 0.41, t-value of 4.82, and p-value of 0.000 (p < 0.05), leading to the rejection of the null hypothesis. This indicates a significant relationship between students’ perception of the high cost of living and their academic focus, motivation, and performance.

iii. The study found that students employ various coping strategies to manage financial stress, including part-time employment, borrowing, limiting purchases of academic materials, and budgeting, as evidenced by mean scores ranging from 3.18 to 3.34, which are above the acceptance benchmark of 2.50. The corresponding hypothesis test further showed a correlation coefficient (r) of 0.36, t-value of 3.92, and p-value of 0.000 (p < 0.05), leading to the rejection of the null hypothesis. This indicates that students’ coping strategies have a significant relationship with their academic engagement and performance.

iv. The study found that students strongly support measures to improve their welfare and academic success amid high living costs, as evidenced by mean scores ranging from 3.26 to 3.38, which are above the acceptance benchmark of 2.50. The findings indicate that affordable on-campus accommodation, expanded scholarship and financial aid programmes, subsidized meal plans, accessible transportation services, and financial literacy programmes are important strategies for reducing financial pressure and improving students’ academic performance at the University of Port Harcourt.

CHAPTER FIVE: SUMMARY, CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
This chapter covers the following outline:
5.1 Introduction
5.2 Summary of Findings
5.3 Conclusion
5.4 Recommendations
5.5 Suggestions for Further Studies
References
Appendix

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