The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) is preparing to hold congresses across campuses to determine its next steps, following the conclusion of nationwide protests on Tuesday.

This development comes as the Federal Government convenes a meeting today to address lingering grievances surrounding the renegotiated 2009 FGN-ASUU agreement, which sparked the recent demonstrations.

Earlier this year, the administration of President Bola Tinubu released N50 billion to offset earned academic allowances owed to university staff. However, ASUU insists that issues such as improved salaries, conditions of service, university autonomy, adequate funding, and the review of laws governing the National Universities Commission (NUC) and the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) must be urgently addressed.

Today’s meeting is expected to involve the Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa; the Minister of Labour and Employment, Muhammadu Maigari Dingyadi; and representatives of the National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission. The agenda includes harmonising the Yayale Ahmed committee draft, concluded in December 2024, with the original 2009 agreement and the recommendations of the Nimi Briggs report. Discussions will also focus on phasing financial commitments into the national budget and developing a legally binding framework.

ASUU President, Prof. Chris Piwuna, stated that while the union expects concrete outcomes, it was not invited to participate in today’s meeting. “Our members are tired of promises without action,” he said, adding that ASUU will soon consult its members to decide the next course of action.

Ahead of the protests, ASUU branches had warned that their patience was wearing thin after completing the renegotiation process in December 2024 and formally submitting it in February. The union also rejected the government’s offer of loan-based “support funds” in place of cash entitlements, warning that another shutdown of public universities could follow.

ASUU has long decried poor remuneration and deteriorating working conditions, with documents showing that professors currently earn between N525,000 and N633,333 monthly, while Graduate Assistants take home as little as N125,000. Senior lecturers earn between N386,101 and N480,780, while Readers receive between N436,392 and N522,212.

Former Vice Chancellor of the University of Lagos, Prof. Oluwatoyin Ogundipe, described morale among lecturers as critically low. “As Vice Chancellor, I earned N900,000. Today, as a professor, my salary is N700,000. Lecturers are poorly paid, many sleep in offices, and the quality of teaching is declining,” he lamented.

Prof. Piwuna accused the government of neglecting academics while prioritising salary increases for politicians. “Our salaries have remained stagnant for years. This has weakened morale, discouraged quality lecturers from joining the system, and undermined productivity,” he said.

Similarly, Prof. Tunde Adeoye of the University of Lagos urged the government to urgently review lecturers’ salaries to avert another strike, stressing that the current pay fails to reflect economic realities. According to him, professors earn about N500,000 before deductions, which often reduces their take-home pay to around N300,000. He noted that lecturers in countries like Kenya and Zimbabwe earn more, warning that neglect could fuel further brain drain.

“Many members cannot pay rent or afford medical care. Some have died from treatable conditions because they could not buy routine drugs,” Adeoye said.

The Secretary of the Committee of Vice Chancellors, Prof. Andrew Haruna, also criticised successive governments for reducing academics to mere salary figures. He stressed that lecturers need an enabling environment to teach, conduct research, and contribute to national development.

Drawing from his experience teaching in over ten European universities, Haruna noted that Nigerian academics are undervalued compared to their peers abroad. “If a professor earns $4,000 abroad but is offered N400,000 here, it reflects the low value placed on academia. Professors are globally mobile, and unless conditions improve, Nigeria risks losing its best minds,” he said.