By Peter Omopo
30th August 2025
Nigerian university professors have renewed calls for a substantial salary increase, demanding a minimum of N2.5 million monthly pay, arguing that their current earnings are grossly inadequate to match the economic realities of the country.
The demand came amid protests across several campuses on Tuesday, where members of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) decried the Federal Government’s failure to implement the renegotiated 2009 FGN–ASUU agreement.
Currently, under the Consolidated University Academic Salary Structure, professors earn between N525,010 and N633,333 monthly, while Graduate Assistants earn between N125,000 and N138,020. Other academic ranks fall within N150,000 to N522,212.
Professors interviewed by Saturday PUNCH said the current structure was no longer sustainable.
At the University of Ibadan, Prof. Remi Aiyede argued that Nigerian professors were underpaid compared to their counterparts across Africa.
“If you benchmark salaries across Africa, professors earn between $2,000 and $4,000 monthly. By that standard, Nigerian professors should not earn less than N2.5m. Even government-commissioned reports have recommended similar figures,” he said.
At the University of Lagos, Prof. Abigail Ndizika-Ogwezzy described the situation as dire, noting that poor pay was forcing lecturers to overwork.
“Anything less than N2.5m is unrealistic. A house in Akoka costs at least N3m per year, yet lecturers must feed, pay school fees, conduct research, publish, and attend conferences. Many cannot meet basic obligations,” she lamented.
Prof. Sheriffdeen Tela of Babcock University also criticized the disparity between academic staff and political office holders.
“If a professor earns less than N1.2m monthly, it’s still below what lawmakers take home in a month. Many professors live on loans. Demanding N2.5m is not extravagant; it’s fair,” he said.
Former ASUU President, Prof. Emmanuel Osodeke, added that professors should earn between N1m and N5m monthly if Nigeria hopes to retain top academic talent and curb brain drain.
“Education cannot thrive without properly rewarding those who drive it. If Nigeria values global competitiveness in higher education, professors must be paid what they are worth,” he stressed.
The call for salary review comes as lecturers continue to press the government to honour existing agreements, warning that without improved conditions, the nation’s university system risks further decline.
