Tertiary students in Kwara State have resorted to selling their sperm and eggs to cope with economic hardship, The Guardian newspaper reports.

A source whose identity has been withheld said willing sellers approach intermediaries, mostly established medical personnel with proven connections in the trade, to express their interest in selling.

According to the source, the intermediary links a willing donor with a buyer and negotiates on their behalf.

The source stated that a male donor receives between N30,000 and N50,000, depending on their negotiating ability.

This development has sparked concern among stakeholders, who have repeatedly condemned the practice.

The Kwara State House of Assembly (KSHA) also expressed alarm over the growing trend during one of its recent sittings, describing it as unregulated sperm and egg donation among students in tertiary institutions across the state.

Hon. Rukayat Motunrayo Shittu, representing Owode/Onire Constituency, drew her colleagues' attention to the issue.

She warned that many students particularly those at Kwara State University (KWASU), Malete, and the Kwara State Polytechnic are now selling their sperm and eggs to survive financial hardship, often without fully understanding the medical and social consequences.

She said: "Many students, due to financial hardship, are lured by monetary incentives without a proper understanding of the medical, psychological, social, ethical, and moral consequences of their actions."

She stressed that egg donation, in particular, carries serious health risks, including ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome, infections, and long-term fertility problems.

She, however, called for urgent government intervention through sensitisation campaigns across tertiary institutions.