Some university professors have demanded that their monthly salaries be raised to a minimum of N2.5 million, citing poor remuneration and worsening living conditions.
The demand followed renewed protests by members of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) over the non-implementation of the renegotiated 2009 FGN–ASUU agreement.
Currently, professors earn between N525,010 and N633,333 monthly under the Consolidated University Academic Salary Structure (CONUASS), while graduate assistants receive between N125,000 and N138,020.
In separate interviews, the professors said the current pay could no longer sustain them, given the country’s economic realities.
Prof. Remi Aiyede of the University of Ibadan said Nigerian professors were among the most underpaid in Africa.
“If you benchmark across countries, an average professor in Africa earns between $2,000 and $4,000 monthly. A million naira is conservative. Professors in Nigeria should not earn less than N2.5 million,” he said.
At the University of Lagos, Prof. Abigail Ndizika-Ogwezzy of the Mass Communication Department stressed that inadequate pay was affecting lecturers’ productivity.
“Anything less than N2.5 million for a professor is unacceptable. Look at the cost of rent, school fees, feeding, health, and transportation. Many of us are carrying the workload of several people, and it is impacting our health,” she said.
Similarly, Prof. Sheriffdeen Tela of Babcock University, Ogun, said the disparity between lecturers and political office holders was indefensible.
“Even if a professor earns N1.2 million monthly, it is still less than what a legislator takes home in a month. Some professors survive on loans because their salaries are not enough,” Tela said.
Former ASUU President, Prof. Emmanuel Osodeke, also supported the call, saying professors should earn between N1 million and N5 million monthly.
“If Nigeria truly values education and wants its universities to compete globally, professors must be paid what they are worth. Anything short of this will worsen the brain drain,” he said.
ASUU has consistently called on the Federal Government to implement recommendations of the Nimi-Briggs-led renegotiation committee, which proposed significant salary adjustments for university lecturers.
