The protests highlighted the union's frustration over the government's delay in implementing the agreement, which covers critical issues like improved salaries, increased university funding, and institutional autonomy. ASUU has also been pushing for reforms to the regulatory frameworks of the National Universities Commission (NUC) and the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB).
Government's High-Stakes Meeting
Today's meeting brings together key stakeholders, including the Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, the Minister of Labour and Employment, Muhammadu Maigari Dingyadi, and representatives from the National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission. The goal of the meeting is to create a concrete timeline for signing and implementing the renegotiated agreement.
According to sources from the Ministries of Education and Labour, the discussions will focus on merging the draft from the Yayale Ahmed committee, finalized in December 2024, with the original 2009 agreement and other recommendations, including the Nimi Briggs report. A primary objective is to incorporate these financial commitments into the national budget and create a legally binding document for all parties to sign.
A History of Unresolved Grievances
ASUU’s demands stem from years of unresolved issues. While the government did release N50 billion earlier this year to settle earned academic allowances, the union continues to push for broader reforms. In addition to better salaries and funding, ASUU has rejected the government's proposal of loan-based "support funds," insisting on tangible commitments.
ASUU President Prof. Chris Piwuna expressed cautious hope for the government meeting, even though the union was not invited. "I truly hope they will come up with something tangible. Our members are tired of words and no action," he told The PUNCH on Wednesday.
He stressed that ASUU operates democratically and that any decision on future action would come from its members. "We'll let Nigerians know our next line of action after the protests. We operate from the bottom up. The protests are over, so we'll go back to our members and ask them what is next.”
The Plight of Nigerian Academics
The core of the dispute remains the dire state of academic pay. Current figures reveal that under the Consolidated University Academic Salary Structure (CONUASS), a Graduate Assistant earns between N125,000 and N138,020 monthly, while a professor’s take-home pay can drop to around N300,000 after deductions. This is considered inadequate given Nigeria’s current economic realities.
Prof. Tunde Adeoye, a Senior Lecturer at the University of Lagos, highlighted the human cost of these low salaries, stating, "Many of our members cannot pay their house rents. Some who were sick have died because they couldn’t afford routine drugs."
The sentiment is echoed by Prof. Andrew Haruna, Secretary of the Committee of Vice Chancellors, who said the low pay and lack of infrastructure have severely impacted morale and the quality of education. He pointed out that many Nigerian academics are highly sought after globally, but are undervalued at home.
As ASUU members meet to determine their next steps, the outcome of the government’s meeting will be closely watched. With the union ready to escalate action if demands are not met, the possibility of another academic shutdown looms over the country's public universities.