University Lecturers Overstretched – Fulata

Rep. Abubakar Fulata, Chairman, House of Representatives Committee on University Education

Lecturers across Nigeria are struggling under mounting workloads as universities face a mass exodus of academic staff, the House of Representatives Committee on University Education has reported.

Committee Chairman, Rep. Abubakar Fulata (APC-Jigawa), said the pressure on remaining staff is severe, with many taking on multiple roles to keep universities running. “Many have departed, and the few available are overstretched,” he said.

The committee’s recent assessments of universities in the Southeast, South-South, and other regions revealed similar patterns: classrooms crowded, research duties piling up, and administrative tasks overwhelming the few staff left.

Fulata also noted that government agency interference in university councils is complicating staff management and limiting councils’ ability to recruit and retain personnel effectively.

The committee highlighted that these pressures affect students too, as planned strike actions by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) threaten to disrupt the academic calendar and exacerbate the already strained system.

“We are examining conditions on the ground and exploring ways to stabilise staffing and protect the quality of education,” Fulata said, stressing that solutions must balance staff welfare with uninterrupted learning for students.