Why Lecturers Threaten to Shut Down Universities

ASUU, CONUA Insist on ‘Living Wage’

University lecturers across the country are once again gearing up for a showdown with the Federal Government over welfare demands, particularly the clamour for an improved salary structure.

Currently, three unions represent academic staff in Nigerian universities — the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), the Congress of University Academics (CONUA), and the Medical and Dental Consultants’ Association of Nigeria (MDCAN). Despite their differences, they all agree on one thing: the take-home pay for lecturers is grossly inadequate.

Last week, Imo State Governor, Senator Hope Uzodimma, announced a new minimum wage of N104,000 for the least-paid government workers. By extension, lecturers in state-owned universities are also beneficiaries.

With this adjustment, lecturers in Imo State universities have become the highest-paid in the country. For example, while professors in federal universities earn about N633,333 monthly, their counterparts in Imo State now receive around N812,000, courtesy of Uzodimma’s intervention.

However, the disparity between lecturers’ pay and that of Nigeria’s elected public officials remains staggering. Lawmakers, especially senators, are believed to earn far more than professors who shoulder the responsibility of training the nation’s future workforce.

The Revenue Mobilization, Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC) officially places senators’ salaries at roughly N1 million monthly. But unverified reports suggest that when allowances and other emoluments are factored in, each senator could be pocketing as much as N21 million. At press time, Sunday Vanguard could not independently confirm these figures, as details of lawmakers’ earnings remain shrouded in secrecy.

Senators’ Pay Sparks Fresh Outrage as Lecturers Cry for Equity

In a 2024 interview, Senator Shehu Sani, who served in Nigeria’s Eighth Senate, disclosed that he earned N13.5 million monthly as a lawmaker — a figure he insists has since risen to N21 million for members of the current 10th Senate.

Sani dismissed the Revenue Mobilization, Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC)’s claim that senators earn “just over N1 million” monthly, accusing the agency of being “economical with the truth.” Appearing on Channels TV, the outspoken former lawmaker said:

“I was a senator, and I know what I received monthly. What was credited to my account at that time was N13.5 million. RMAFC is only quoting basic salary figures but avoiding the real breakdown. Nigerians deserve to know.”

He noted that another lawmaker, Senator Kawu Ismaila from Kano, has also confirmed that senators today receive about N21 million monthly. According to him, concealing such information amounts to deceiving taxpayers, since legislators are funded with public money.

Meanwhile, as debates over lawmakers’ earnings intensify, there are moves to increase salaries of political office holders nationwide. Ebonyi State Governor, Francis Nwifuru, recently announced an upward review of the state’s minimum wage from N70,000 to N90,000.

Nigerians React

The widening wage gap has triggered angry reactions from academics and ordinary citizens alike. While university professors earn an average of N633,333 per month, senators reportedly pocket over N20 million, a disparity many describe as “absurd.”

Yinka Ogunde, founder of the Concerned Parents and Educators Network (CPE), wrote on social media:

“I owe all lecturers an apology. I never knew a professor earns less than N600,000 — less than a local government councillor. We need an education rethink.”

Others compared the long, difficult academic journey required to become a professor with the relatively low academic qualifications needed to enter the Senate.

One commentator noted:

“It can take up to 10 years to earn a PhD, write peer-reviewed journals, and gain years of teaching experience before one becomes a professor — yet they earn N633,333 monthly. To become a senator? WAEC results are enough. And they are paid higher!”

Ayobami Adeyinka, another observer, linked the poor wages of lecturers to low tuition fees in public universities, saying:

“How much were you expecting a professor to earn when school fees are just N75,000 per session? These things are connected and interwoven.”

The UK Scenario

In the United Kingdom, a professor earns an average of £80,000 per year, while students pay tuition fees of about £9,500 annually. Training a medical doctor costs an estimated £125,000, typically financed through education loans.

The comparison highlights the direct relationship between student fees and academic staff earnings. Analysts argue that Nigeria must rethink its education funding model to allow for a degree of cost recovery, rather than depending solely on crude oil revenues. As one observer noted: “We live under the illusion of being a rich country, but the facts don’t support that assumption. It’s all about logic and economics.”

Salary Stagnant Since 2009 — CONUA

Dr. Niyi Sunmonu, National President of the Congress of University Academics (CONUA), lamented that lecturers’ salaries have remained virtually unchanged since 2009.

“Attempts to raise salaries have amounted to tokenism, and that is simply not enough given today’s economic realities,” he said. “Inflationary pressures are high, yet our leaders attend international conferences where they see firsthand how poorly Nigerian intellectuals are treated.”

He stressed that lecturers deserve a living wage, not token increments. Sunmonu further warned that any negotiations on lecturers’ salaries and welfare that exclude CONUA would be invalid, citing the International Labour Organization (ILO) Convention 98, the Trade Union Act, and the 1999 Constitution which all guarantee the right to inclusive collective bargaining.

Pay Us Living Wage — ASUU

At the University of Lagos (UNILAG), the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) staged a protest demanding fair pay. The branch chairman, Prof. Idou Keinde, criticized the Federal Government’s decision to introduce loan facilities for lecturers while still owing them arrears and entitlements.

“If the government paid us what is due, there would be no need for loans,” he said. “These loans are to be guaranteed by our union, but that is unnecessary. Each university’s Governing Council can provide loans to staff based on our conditions of service.”

Prof. Keinde emphasized that lecturers are not asking for charity but simply for a living wage and the prompt payment of allowances. “If we are paid what is rightfully ours, who would want to borrow money?” he asked.

Lecturers’ Demands

For years, university lecturers and the Federal Government have been at loggerheads over unmet agreements and welfare concerns. Among the key demands of the lecturers are:

• Provision of modern facilities to enhance teaching and learning.
• An end to the unchecked proliferation of universities by federal and state governments.
• Adequate and sustained funding of universities.
• Payment of a living wage to lecturers.
• Settlement of Earned Academic Allowances (EAA).
• Release of ₦200 billion annually as revitalisation funds to strengthen infrastructure and research in universities.

Most of these demands were captured in the 2009 Agreement between ASUU and the government. Although the administration of former President Goodluck Jonathan released ₦200 billion as revitalisation funds once before leaving office, subsequent governments have largely failed to implement the rest of the agreement.

ASUU has now warned that unless the government honours its commitments, it may be left with no option but to resume strike action to press home its demands.