ASUU Raises Alarm Over Stagnant Salaries, Threatens New Nationwide Strike

By Diafa Doubra, Warri 

The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Benin Zone, has issued a fresh warning of an impending nationwide strike, accusing the federal government of abandoning lecturers on the same salary structure for over 15 years. The union stated that Nigerian academics have been subjected to crippling economic hardship due to the government’s refusal to review the 2009 agreement, which covers wages, research funding, and university revitalisation. According to ASUU, the situation has reached a breaking point as lecturers struggle to survive under worsening inflation and rising living costs.

Speaking during a press briefing, zonal leaders of the union expressed frustration that several committees set up by the government to renegotiate the agreement have failed to deliver any tangible result. They argued that the federal government’s inconsistent approach to dialogue has further weakened public universities and pushed many lecturers into seeking opportunities abroad. ASUU noted that the continued decay in infrastructure and lack of comprehensive funding have left Nigeria’s university system “on the brink of collapse.”

The union warned that if the government does not take immediate steps to implement the long-overdue salary review and revitalisation funds, it will have no choice but to mobilise its members for a nationwide shutdown of academic activities. They called on President Tinubu’s administration to prioritise education and treat lecturers’ welfare as a national emergency. ASUU added that only sincere engagement and prompt action can prevent another round of industrial disruption that could further destabilise the academic calendar.