The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) will hold meetings across university campuses to decide their next steps, following nationwide protests that ended on Tuesday.
This comes as the Federal Government meets today to address ongoing disputes related to the renegotiated 2009 agreement between the government and ASUU – the same issues that sparked Tuesday’s campus demonstrations.
Earlier this year, the Tinubu administration released ₦50 billion to partially clear outstanding academic allowances owed to lecturers and university staff.
According to report, ASUU is demanding broader reforms including better salaries, improved working conditions, increased university funding and autonomy, and changes to laws governing the National Universities Commission (NUC) and Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB).
Today’s government meeting will include Education Minister Dr. Tunji Alausa, Labour and Employment Minister Muhammadu Maigari Dingyadi, and officials from the National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission.
Sources say discussions will focus on combining the Yayale Ahmed committee’s draft from December 2024 with the original 2009 agreement and subsequent recommendations, while determining how to include financial commitments in the national budget within a legally binding framework.
ASUU President Prof. Chris Piwuna expressed doubt about the government’s intentions, saying members are frustrated with unfulfilled promises.
“I truly hope they will come up with something tangible. Our members are tired of words and no action,” he said.
Piwuna clarified that ASUU was not invited to today’s meeting and would announce their next actions only after consulting members across campuses.
The dispute highlights ongoing concerns about lecturer welfare.
Despite holding advanced degrees, many professors earning around ₦500,000 monthly reportedly live in basic staff quarters and face daily challenges, sometimes sharing transportation with students.
Current monthly salaries under the university academic salary structure range from ₦125,000 for Graduate Assistants to ₦633,333 for top-level Professors, with most categories falling well below what many consider adequate for their qualifications and responsibilities.
