The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Benin Zone, has thrown out the Federal Government’s latest salary proposal, calling it “a drop in the ocean” that cannot stop the exodus of lecturers from Nigeria.
Salaries Frozen Since 2009
Professor Monday Igbafen, Zonal Coordinator, laid bare the reality: A Nigerian professor now earns less than $400 monthly the same salary scale fixed in 2009 when the dollar was N120.
“For over 15 years, lecturers have watched their pay shrink to almost nothing while living costs explode. This is not just unfair – it is wicked and deliberately designed to chase talent away,” he said.
Brain Drain on Steroids
The union warned that without urgent action, Nigeria’s universities will soon have no senior lecturers left to teach the next generation.
What ASUU Wants – Right Now
- Full renegotiation and implementation of the 2009 agreement
- Payment of promotion arrears owed since 2017
- Release of withheld third-party deductions
- Immediate disbursement of the N50 billion university revitalization fund
Government Revenue Is Up – So Why the Excuses?
ASUU pointed to official figures showing federal revenue jumped over 62 % in 2024 to N5.81 trillion, with another N4.65 trillion (70 % increase) recorded separately.
“If the money is there, why treat education like a charity project?” Professor Igbafen asked.
One Month Left Before Explosion
The union gave the government the remaining one-month negotiation window to deliver real solutions not “half-truths and cosmetic payments.”
“Enough of the games. Treat lecturers with respect, pay what is owed, and fund our universities properly – or face another total shutdown,” the zone warned.
The clock is ticking. Nigeria’s public universities are one rejected proposal away from another long, bitter strike.
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