Calls for genuine investment in Nigeria’s universities have intensified as the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) turned down the Federal Government’s 35% salary increase for lecturers, insisting that it fails to resolve the systemic challenges plaguing the sector.
At a press briefing on Tuesday at Lagos State University of Education, Prof. Adesola Nassir, ASUU’s Lagos Zonal Coordinator, described the government’s offer as grossly inadequate. He stressed that the proposed increment still leaves university lecturers among the lowest-paid in Africa.
Prof. Nassir argued that even with the proposed raise, university salaries are insufficient to sustain a decent standard of living for academic staff, reflecting years of financial neglect and undervaluation of education.
He highlighted that a professor who earned around $3,000 per month in 2009 now receives just about $400 due to economic decline, and even with a 35% increase, their monthly pay would remain below one million naira before taxes, reducing further to roughly ₦700,000 after deductions. This, he warned, contributes to brain drain and compromises educational quality.
ASUU also underscored the long-standing underfunding of Nigerian universities, pointing out that federal allocations to education have remained below 10% over the last decade, currently standing at under 1% of GDP.
Nassir compared Nigeria’s funding with countries like Egypt and South Africa, which dedicate 2% and 6% of their GDP to education, respectively, stressing that Nigeria’s neglect threatens the sector’s future and the development of young professionals.
He urged Nigerians, education stakeholders, and policymakers to advocate for a meaningful increase in university funding, emphasizing that real progress cannot occur without proper financial support.
ASUU warned that if the Federal Government fails to honour commitments from the 2009 agreement, the union may have no choice but to declare an indefinite strike, potentially shutting down public universities across the country.
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