The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has accused the President Bola Tinubu-led Nigerian government of deliberately neglecting Nigerian university lecturers, lamenting that its members have been stuck on the same salary structure since 2009.
The union issued the warning on Tuesday during a press briefing in Benin City, Edo State, where the ASUU Benin Zone declared that a fresh nationwide strike was now “inevitable” following the Nigerian government’s alleged failure to utilise the one-month ultimatum to address lingering issues in the 2009 ASUU-FG agreement.
The Zonal Coordinator, Prof. Monday Igbafen, who spoke alongside union officials from universities within the zone, said the government had shown “blatant unwillingness” to resolve the crisis rocking Nigeria’s public university system.
“It is not only regrettable but sad to inform you that the Federal Government has again demonstrated a blatant unwillingness to quickly and holistically resolve all the outstanding issues to restore the desired industrial harmony in our public universities,” Igbafen said.
He stated that while minor progress had been made on non-monetary aspects, the remuneration and welfare components remained untouched, insisting that lecturers were still earning the same salaries they earned 15 years ago when the naira exchanged at ₦120 to $1.
According to him, a Nigerian professor currently earns less than $400 per month, a situation he described as “scandalous, wicked and inhuman.”
“We have rejected the proposed salary increment by government because it is a mere drop in the ocean. To continue to remain on the same salary regime for more than 15 years without a meaningful review is a catalyst for resistance, industrial disharmony and brain drain,” he added.
The union also accused top government officials, including the Minister of Education, of making pronouncements that undermine genuine negotiation efforts.
Igbafen noted that the government has no economic excuse for failing to conclude the renegotiation, citing sharp increases in national revenue. He referenced Federal Accounts Allocation Committee (FAAC) disbursement figures showing that states received ₦3.92 trillion in 2022 and ₦5.81 trillion in 2024, while federal revenue reportedly grew from ₦3.42 trillion to ₦4.65 trillion within the same period.
“With all indices pointing to an increased revenue profile, it is clear that what is lacking is political will,” he said.
The Benin Zone declared its full readiness to comply with any directive from ASUU’s national leadership to resume the suspended strike once the one-month window expires.
“We are ready for the directive of the NEC of our union to resume the suspended strike action,” the union warned.
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