Nigerian Lecturers Cry Out Over Poor Pay

Nigeria’s university system may once again be on the brink of disruption as members of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) prepare to hold congresses that will determine their next line of action. This follows the conclusion of nationwide protests on Tuesday, where lecturers and university staff took to the streets to demand urgent government action on a series of long-standing issues, most notably their poor pay and the government’s failure to fully implement the renegotiated 2009 FGN-ASUU agreement.

The Federal Government has scheduled a meeting to address these grievances, which will involve key ministries such as Education, Labour and Employment, and the National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission. Government officials say discussions will focus on reconciling the recommendations of the Yayale Ahmed committee, concluded in December 2024, with the original 2009 agreement and the more recent Nimi Briggs report. The outcome is expected to include a timeline for the phased implementation of the renegotiated agreement and a legally binding framework to ensure compliance.

Despite this scheduled engagement, ASUU president Professor Chris Piwuna has expressed frustration. He told reporters that the union was not invited to Thursday’s meeting, adding that his members were weary of endless promises without concrete action. “Our members are tired of words and no action. The protests have ended, and now we will return to our members to decide what next. We operate from the bottom up, and whatever our congresses decide, that is what we will do,” Piwuna said.

The union’s grievances run deep. Earlier in the year, the Bola Tinubu administration released 50 billion naira to settle outstanding earned academic allowances owed to lecturers and staff. While this gesture was welcomed, ASUU insists that it falls short of addressing systemic issues such as salary stagnation, poor funding of universities, lack of autonomy, and outdated laws governing higher education bodies like the National Universities Commission and the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board.

At the heart of the crisis is pay. Many university lecturers feel abandoned by a system that compensates politicians generously while academics struggle to make ends meet. Documents obtained from the Consolidated University Academic Salary Structure show that graduate assistants earn between 125,000 and 138,000 naira monthly, while professors earn between 525,000 and 633,000 naira. Assistant lecturers earn between 150,000 and 171,000, Lecturer II between 186,000 and 209,000, Lecturer I between 239,000 and 281,000, senior lecturers between 386,000 and 480,000, and readers between 436,000 and 522,000.

To put these figures in perspective, a professor in Nigeria typically earns just a little over 500,000 naira per month, which, after deductions, often drops to about 300,000 naira. By contrast, lecturers in countries like Kenya and Zimbabwe earn significantly more, creating conditions that encourage brain drain as Nigerian academics seek opportunities abroad.

A former Vice-Chancellor of the University of Lagos, Professor Oluwatoyin Ogundipe, described the situation as disheartening. “The lecturers are tired, the morale is low, and academic staff members are itching to leave. The standard of teaching is going down. As Vice-Chancellor, I earned 900,000 naira. Now, as a professor, my salary is about 700,000. My son once saw my payslip and called it a joke. Some lecturers are so poorly paid that they sleep in their offices,” he lamented.

ASUU leaders argue that these conditions make it difficult for universities to attract and retain quality lecturers, leading to a steady decline in standards. Professor Piwuna criticized the government’s priorities, pointing out that while public office holders are being considered for pay raises by the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission, academics remain neglected. “Our salaries have been stagnant for years. Morale is low, output is suffering, and it is not surprising because the political class always looks after themselves first,” he said.

The sense of neglect is not only about salaries. University lecturers also decry poor working conditions, lack of infrastructure, and an environment that stifles research and innovation. Professor Andrew Haruna, Secretary of the Committee of Vice-Chancellors, said the problem is bigger than pay. He argued that successive governments have reduced academics to salary figures without creating an enabling environment for teaching and research. “I have taught in more than ten universities in Europe. When I chose to return to Nigeria, it was to contribute to my country, but the meagre salary here shows the value our leaders place on academics. Do they really respect Nigerian citizens? Do they respect academia?” Haruna asked.

Haruna also highlighted the global mobility of academics, pointing out that professors can easily move to institutions abroad where their skills are better valued. “If I earn four thousand dollars a month abroad and you offer me 400,000 naira here, it is clear how little you value me. Academics are mobile, and this is why many of our brightest minds leave the country,” he explained.

Other lecturers describe the impact of low pay on their personal lives. Many struggle to pay rent, care for aged parents, or afford basic medical treatment. Some have reportedly died because they could not buy routine drugs for chronic illnesses like hypertension. A Senior Lecturer in the University of Lagos, Professor Tunde Adeoye, stressed that the Federal Government must urgently review salaries to avert another shutdown of public universities. He warned that if nothing is done, the combination of low pay and poor conditions will further weaken Nigeria’s higher education system and push more lecturers to seek opportunities abroad.

At a recent press conference, ASUU’s Abuja Zonal Coordinator, Professor Al-Amin Abdullahi, reminded the government that the union had already fulfilled its part of the bargain by submitting the renegotiated agreement as far back as February 2025. He warned that if the government continues to delay, lecturers might be forced into another strike. “Reports have been submitted before and ended up in filing cabinets. This one must not suffer the same fate,” he said.

The threat of another prolonged strike looms over Nigeria’s public universities. For decades, strikes have been a recurring feature in the sector, often leaving students stranded and extending the duration of their studies. Parents and students alike worry that if the impasse is not resolved quickly, the academic calendar could again be disrupted, causing long-term damage to education in the country.

As ASUU prepares to consult its members, many Nigerians are hoping for a breakthrough in talks between the government and stakeholders. The lecturers are demanding not just better pay, but also respect, improved conditions, and genuine commitment to education as a national priority. Whether the Federal Government is willing to meet them halfway remains to be seen, but what is clear is that the patience of Nigeria’s academics is wearing thin.