ASUU President, Prof. Chris Piwuna
Once upon a time, Nigeria’s universities were the pride of Africa—drawing students and scholars from across the world. Today, those identical ivory towers are struggling to keep their doors open as lecturers flee in droves, driven by poor pay, low morale, and years of government neglect.
For decades, the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has been vocal about what it calls “chronic underpayment.” Professors and lecturers now earn between ₦525,000 and ₦633,000 monthly, an amount that translates to about $350–$420 at today’s exchange rate.
According to ASUU, that is less than one-third of what they earned in real terms back in 2009.
“The political class always looks after itself,” lamented ASUU President, Prof. Chris Piwuna.
“Those who keep the country running, our lecturers, are being neglected. Our morale is low, and it is affecting the quality of education.”
Similarly, Dr Niyi Sunmonu, President of the Congress of Nigerian University Academics (CONUA), described lecturers’ salaries as “stagnant since 2009.” He called government wage adjustments “mere tokenism,” warning that without proper review, the academic system could collapse entirely.
The effects are already visible. Many universities are operating at half capacity as young academics leave for better opportunities abroad. ASUU estimates that nearly 70% of young lecturers have resigned or relocated since 2022. Those who remain are overworked, handling up to five courses a semester while supervising dozens of students.
“We are losing our best minds,” said Prof. Oluwatoyin Ogundipe, former Vice Chancellor of the University of Lagos. “When professors earn ₦700,000 monthly and politicians earn in millions, what message are we sending? Lecturers are tired; morale is at its lowest.”
The impact on students is devastating. Final-year students, such as Juliet Amakor of the University of Abuja, say their supervisors are overwhelmed. “My lecturer handles over 18 projects. Sometimes we only communicate by email. It is frustrating,” she said.
Experts warn that if this trend continues, Nigeria’s aspiration to become a knowledge-driven economy will fade. “No country grows beyond the quality of its universities,” argued education consultant Prof. Grace Oladele.
Former ASUU leader Prof. Attahiru Jega believes the only solution is honest collective bargaining. “We have been in this circle since the 1990s,” he said. “Until the government sincerely implements agreed reforms, the exodus will continue.”
As lecturers trade chalkboards for visas and classrooms grow emptier by the day, one question hangs in the air: How long can Nigeria afford to underpay the very people shaping its future?
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