ASUU Decries 15-Year Freeze in Lecturers’ Salaries.

The Benin Zone of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has rejected the Federal Government’s proposed salary increase for university lecturers, describing it as insignificant—especially as lecturers have gone 15 years without any meaningful salary review.

Zonal Coordinator, Prof. Monday Igbafen, said the proposed adjustment falls far short of what is needed to address the worsening brain drain in the university system.

He faulted the Federal Government for what he described as a persistent reluctance to fully resolve outstanding issues, urging the government to conclude the renegotiation of the 2009 FGN/ASUU agreement and address other unresolved demands.

ASUU had previously embarked on a two-week warning strike to press for issues such as full implementation of the 2009 agreement, payment of promotion arrears since 2017, release of withheld deductions, and disbursement of the N50bn revitalisation fund meant for universities. The strike was suspended after government officials promised to present concrete proposals.

Rejecting the new wage proposal, Igbafen said, “The salary and conditions of service remain a major concern requiring decisive action. What the government has offered is only a drop in the ocean and cannot reverse the current wave of brain drain plaguing the university system. The back-and-forth approach to negotiations must end.”

He noted that lecturers’ salaries have remained largely stagnant since 2009, when the exchange rate was N120 to the dollar. “It is troubling that a professor today earns less than $400 monthly. Keeping lecturers on the same salary structure for over 15 years without a meaningful review is unfair, unacceptable, and fuels unrest and mass exit from the system,” he added.

Igbafen accused some government officials, including the Minister of Education, of undermining negotiations through misrepresentation of key issues such as promotion arrears and withheld deductions, which he described as basic entitlements. He said these partial payments were being wrongly presented to the public as substantial progress.

He warned that the government’s “half-truths” could lead to further crisis in the sector and urged authorities to resolve all outstanding issues within the remaining one-month window to avoid a total shutdown.

“Our government must recognise that investment in education is critical to national development. Excuses about lack of funds or global economic challenges are no longer acceptable,” he said.

He also pointed out that government revenues have risen significantly in recent years. “Revenue for 2024 reached N5.81 trillion, a rise of over 62 per cent. The Federal Government alone received N4.65 trillion this year, representing more than 70 per cent growth,” he added.