The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has reported that 84 of its members died between May and August 2024 due to economic hardship and unpaid salaries.
ASUU President Emmanuel Osodeke made this shocking disclosure during an appearance on Inside Sources with Laolu Akande, a socio-political program aired on Channels Television.
“In just three months, from May to August 2024, Nigerian universities lost 84 academic staff members due to the difficult conditions they are facing,” Osodeke said. “Despite this crisis, salaries remain withheld under the no-work, no-pay policy. People are struggling to survive amidst rising fuel and electricity costs.”
Osodeke emphasised the need for increased funding for university education in Nigeria, arguing that better compensation is essential to motivate lecturers and keep the sector functioning effectively. He revealed that, despite being a professor for 15 years, he earns just N420,000 per month, making it difficult for Nigerian lecturers to compete globally.
On September 25, 2024, ASUU gave the Federal Government a 14-day ultimatum to address several unresolved issues, including the renegotiation of the 2009 FGN/ASUU Agreement and the release of withheld salaries from the 2022 industrial strike.
In 2022, academic and non-academic unions across Nigeria embarked on an eight-month strike to demand better working conditions. The previous administration, led by President Muhammadu Buhari, responded with a ‘no work, no pay’ policy. However, in October 2023, President Bola Tinubu authorised the payment of four out of the eight months of withheld salaries.
While ASUU members received partial payment, non-academic unions like the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) and the Non-Academic Staff Union (NASU) received none. Osodeke insisted that ASUU members should be fully compensated for the entire strike period, stating that the Tinubu administration’s release of four months’ salaries was not a favour but an obligation.
