After staging nationwide protests that paralyzed academic activities across institutions, the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) is set to hold congresses in various branches to deliberate on its future actions.
The protests, concluded on Tuesday, were rooted in longstanding demands, including the full implementation of the renegotiated 2009 agreement between ASUU and the Federal Government of Nigeria (FGN).
Today, government officials led by the Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, and the Minister of Labour and Employment, Muhammadu Maigari Dingyadi, will meet with the National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission to harmonize reports from the Yayale Ahmed and Nimi Briggs committees with the original 2009 pact.
Earlier this year, President Bola Tinubu approved the release of N50 billion for earned academic allowances. Yet, lecturers insist that such gestures fall short of addressing the deeper structural issues plaguing higher education.
Speaking on Wednesday, ASUU president, Prof. Chris Piwuna, expressed skepticism:
“I truly hope they will come up with something tangible. Our members are tired of words and no action.”
He further clarified that ASUU was not invited to the ongoing meeting and would instead consult members before deciding the next step.
Frontpagenews.ng reports that the Abuja zonal coordinator of ASUU, Prof. Al-Amin Abdullahi, warned the government against shelving yet another report, saying lecturers had fulfilled their side of the bargain and expected quick adoption of the recommendations.
Meanwhile, discontent among academics continues to mount. Professors reportedly earn around N525,000 monthly, with deductions reducing take-home pay to near N400,000. Graduate Assistants start at N125,000, while Readers earn about N522,000 at the peak.
Former Vice Chancellor of the University of Lagos, Prof. Oluwatoyin Ogundipe, described the reality starkly:
“The lecturers are tired, the morale is low, and lecturers are poorly paid. Academic staff members are on the edge, itching to leave. The standard of teaching is going down. Do you know that some lecturers sleep in the office?”
ASUU leaders also argue that politicians continue to enjoy salary increases while the academic community is left behind.
Senior Lecturer Prof. Tunde Adeoye warned that unless the salary structure is reviewed to reflect Nigeria’s current economic realities, another industrial strike is imminent.
Similarly, Prof. Andrew Haruna of the Committee of Vice Chancellors accused successive governments of undervaluing intellectual labor, stressing that poor infrastructure and poor pay have eroded Nigeria’s academic competitiveness.
The looming fear is that more Nigerian scholars may emigrate, given that lecturers in Kenya and Zimbabwe earn more attractive salaries compared to their Nigerian peers.
