The Traffic

Professors Demand ₦2.5m Monthly Pay, Cite Poor Conditions and Brain Drain Risk

Nigeria’s ivory towers are once again at the centre of heated debate as university professors press for a significant upward review of their salaries to ₦2.5 million per month, arguing that their current earnings fall far below international standards and no longer reflect the cost of living realities in the country.

On Tuesday, protests broke out across several campuses as members of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) decried the Federal Government’s refusal to implement the renegotiated 2009 FGN–ASUU agreement, which was designed to address decades of underfunding, poor welfare, and deteriorating infrastructure in Nigeria’s universities.

Currently, under the Consolidated University Academic Salary Structure (CONUASS II), Graduate Assistants earn between ₦125,000 and ₦138,020 monthly, while professors take home between ₦525,010 and ₦633,333. By contrast, professors across African countries reportedly earn the equivalent of $2,000 to $4,000 monthly, translating to between ₦2 million and ₦4 million at current exchange rates.

Professors Speak Out

At the University of Ibadan, Prof. Remi Aiyede described the remuneration of Nigerian professors as “grossly inadequate” when compared with colleagues elsewhere on the continent. He recalled that even a government-commissioned panel had recommended ₦2.5m as a fair starting point for professors’ monthly pay.

“In fact, a million naira is conservative. Professors in Nigeria should not earn less than ₦2.5m monthly. After the Nimi-Briggs Commission, another committee set up by this government looked into the matter, and the report also recommended a figure around that range,” he said.

At the University of Lagos, Prof. Abigail Ndizika-Ogwezzy of the Department of Mass Communication linked poor remuneration to declining staff morale and health challenges. She stressed that professors were overburdened with multiple responsibilities but unable to meet basic needs.

“Anything less than ₦2.5m for a professor is unacceptable. If I want to get a house to live in the Akoka area, it’s not less than ₦3m per year. Then won’t I feed, pay school fees, ride a decent car, and care for my health? We are carrying the burden of three, four, five people. It’s taking a toll on our health and productivity,” she said.

Prof. Sheriffdeen Tela of Babcock University, Ogun State, echoed the same concerns, highlighting the gap between academic workers and political office holders.

“If a professor earns not more than ₦1.2m monthly, it’s still less than what a legislator takes home in just one month. Some of us live on loans because salaries cannot sustain us. Instead of giving professors proper pay, the Federal Government talks about offering loans, which is wrong,” Tela lamented.

ASUU Leadership’s Position

Former ASUU President, Prof. Emmanuel Osodeke, warned that unless urgent action is taken, Nigeria risks losing even more academics to foreign universities.

“If Nigeria truly values education and wants its universities to compete globally, professors must be paid what they are worth. Anything short of ₦1m to ₦5m monthly for professors will only worsen the brain drain,” he said.

Growing Frustration

The agitation comes at a time when Nigerian lecturers face worsening conditions: many struggle with poor housing, inadequate research funding, and overcrowded classes, while some professors reportedly squat in staff quarters or share buses with undergraduates.

Analysts note that the wage disparity between academia and politics has deepened resentment, with lawmakers and political appointees earning tens of millions in salaries and allowances monthly, compared to the modest pay of those tasked with educating the nation’s future workforce.

The government is yet to officially respond to the renewed agitation, but observers say the standoff may escalate into another nationwide strike if the demand for a living wage is ignored.

By Haruna Yakubu Haruna