The Academic Staff Union of Universities has rejected the Federal Government’s proposed 35 percent salary increase for university workers, describing it as inadequate and a reflection of the long-standing underfunding of the education sector.
Speaking at a press briefing on Tuesday at the Lagos State University of Education, the Lagos Zonal Coordinator of ASUU, Prof. Adesola Nassir, said the offer was “wretched” and would still leave Nigerian academics among the lowest-paid on the continent. He explained that despite the increment, university staff would remain poorly compensated and unable to meet basic living standards associated with their professional duties.
Nassir noted that when the 2009 agreement was signed, a professor earned about $3,000 monthly, but the figure has since crashed to around $400. He said even with the 35 percent increase, a professor’s salary would not reach one million naira, and after tax deductions would fall to about 700,000 naira. He warned that such poor remuneration fuels brain drain and deteriorates the quality of education.
ASUU also raised concern over declining investment in education, noting that for more than a decade, government funding has remained below 10 percent, with current allocations now dropping below 1 percent of the country’s GDP. Nassir pointed out that countries like Egypt and South Africa allocate far more, with funding levels reaching 2 percent and 6 percent respectively.
He said the education funding crisis has reached a critical level and urged the government to confront its consequences and prioritise the future of Nigerian students. He appealed to Nigerians to support ASUU’s call for substantial investment in the sector.
