The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has again expressed frustration over the poor wages of Nigerian lecturers, warning that another nationwide strike could become inevitable if the Federal Government fails to take urgent action.
After staging protests across university campuses earlier this week, ASUU leaders said members would now hold congresses to decide their next step. The protests followed complaints that professors still earn between ₦525,000 and ₦633,000 monthly under the Consolidated University Academic Salary structure, with some earning even less after deductions.
Speaking on the matter, ASUU President, Prof. Chris Piwuna, said the union was running out of patience with government promises. “Our members are tired of words without action. We have not been invited for any meeting yet, but once our congresses conclude, we will take whatever decision our members mandate us to take,” he said.
Former Vice Chancellor of the University of Lagos, Prof. Oluwatoyin Ogundipe, lamented that academics had been left demoralised by the poor pay structure. “Lecturers are tired, morale is very low, and academic standards are dropping. At a point as VC, I earned ₦900,000, but now as a professor, I take home about ₦700,000. My son saw my payslip and laughed at it. Many of us sleep in offices because we cannot even maintain decent living standards,” Ogundipe explained.
Similarly, Prof. Tunde Adeoye of the University of Lagos urged the government to immediately renegotiate the 2009 agreement with ASUU. “The salary of a professor in Nigeria is about ₦500,000 before deductions, which drops to around ₦300,000 after. In some African countries, lecturers are far better paid. If something is not done, we will continue to lose our best brains to other countries,” Adeoye said.
Secretary of the Committee of Vice Chancellors, Prof. Andrew Haruna, also condemned successive governments for undervaluing Nigerian academics. “I have taught in more than 10 universities across Europe, and I know what academics are worth. If someone earns $4,000 abroad but is offered ₦400,000 here, it shows the low value placed on education in Nigeria. Professors are globally mobile, and many will continue to leave unless conditions improve,” Haruna stated.
ASUU insists that without genuine commitment to better funding, improved salaries, and a clear timetable for implementing the renegotiated agreement, Nigeria’s public universities risk another shutdown.
