In a stirring display of resolve, members of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) across several campuses insisted this week that a take‑home pay of not less than N2.5 million per month is the bare minimum worthy of Nigerian professors—a point they say no less can sustain their role in nation‑building. The protests, set against the backdrop of unfulfilled renegotiated terms from the 2009 FGN–ASUU agreement, witnessed academics voicing frustration at outdated compensation that fails to keep pace with reality
Under the current Consolidated University Academic Salary Structure, professors are paid between N525,010 and N633,333 monthly. In contrast, Graduate Assistants receive between N125,000 and N138,020, while Lecturer II, Lecturer I, Senior Lecturer, and Readers earn from N186,543 to N522,212, depending on rank
These figures, union members argue, are starkly out of sync with present-day inflation and the cost of living.
Prof. Remi Aiyede of the University of Ibadan highlighted the disparity with continental peers, stressing that a typical professor in Africa earns between USD 2,000 and 4,000 monthly—translating to far above the naira equivalent of current pay. “A million naira is conservative,” he asserted, urging that N2.5 million per month is the realistic floor. He further noted that this figure aligns with recommendations made by a government‑commissioned committee post‑Nimi‑Briggs Commission
At the University of Lagos, Prof. Abigail Ndizika‑Ogwezzy painted a vivid picture of the burdens many professors carry. She described how current earnings cannot cover basic needs—renting even modest accommodation in areas like Akoka can cost close to N3 million per year, exclusive of feeding, school fees, car upkeep, and health expenses. Many professors, she said, are shouldering the financial weight of entire extended households while juggling lecture preparations, research, script marking, and community service
Adding her voice, Prof. Sheriffdeen Tela of Babcock University lamented the mismatch between what professors earn and what political officeholders take home. “If a professor receives not less than N1.2 million monthly,” he said, “that’s still far less than what the legislature earns in a month.” He criticized the government’s emphasis on loans rather than equitable pay, arguing that academics should not have to borrow simply to survive
Former ASUU President Prof. Emmanuel Osodeke warned of the consequences of inaction: “If Nigeria truly values education and wishes its universities to compete globally, professors must be paid what they deserve. Anything less will only deepen brain drain.” His words echoed the growing concern that current pay fails to retain top academic talent
Across these impassioned remarks, one theme resounds clearly: the call for N2.5 million monthly is more than a salary demand—it’s a plea for dignity, equity, and the recognition of the scholarly rigour that Nigerian professors bring to nation-building.