It might shock many Nigerians to know that the combined monthly salaries and running costs of 109 senators — about N2.354 billion — could pay the monthly wages of 4,708 university professors across the country.
The wage gap has sparked heated debates about the glaring imbalance between political office holders and academics. Social media recently went viral with stories like that of Professor Nasir Hassan-Wagini of Umaru Musa Yar’adua University, Katsina, who was spotted selling vegetables at a market just to make ends meet. Many other lecturers have taken on “side hustles” to survive.
Professors in Nigeria earn an average net pay of around N500,000 per month, depending on experience. Compare that with a serving senator, who receives about N21.6 million per month — enough to pay 43 senior professors combined. In August 2024, Senator Kawu Sumaila confirmed his monthly pay of N21.6 million, a figure that includes running costs for his office.
Dr. Niyi Sunmonu, national president of the Congress of University Academics (CONUA) and an associate professor at Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, highlighted that academics’ salaries had remained largely stagnant since 2009 until modest increases were implemented last year — 35% for professors and 25% for non-professors. After deductions, many professors are left with around N500,000 monthly, which barely covers basic needs, let alone vehicles, school fees, or family responsibilities.
Sunmonu lamented the impact of poor remuneration on motivation and academic quality. Professors now rarely come to campus to mentor students, and many classes are handled without the inspiration and guidance that once defined Nigerian universities. Without urgent reforms, he warns, the nation could face an intellectual drought in the next five to ten years as older professors retire.
The struggle of academics is real. Prof. Balarabe Abdullahi of Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, said his salary is not enough to enroll his child in a standard school in Abuja. Many lecturers take up adjunct positions, businesses, or other side hustles just to survive. “Our salaries are chicken change,” Abdullahi said, revealing that even some professors go days without a proper meal.
The harsh reality has forced many academics to migrate to countries where their expertise is respected and adequately compensated. Those who remain stay out of duty, cultural attachment, or hope for change — hope that is slowly fading.
The situation has also taken a toll on health. The Abuja zone of ASUU reported losing 46 members between 2014 and 2024 due to economic hardship, poor working conditions, and stress-related illnesses. Crowdfunding has become a lifeline for some, like the late Professor Abubakar Roko from Usman Danfodiyo University, whose medical bills drew public support before his untimely death.
Education rights advocates and scholars abroad are raising alarms. Dr. Mushin Ibrahim, a Nigerian scholar in Germany, called the system “dysfunctional” and highlighted the glaring inequity between politicians and academics. Hassan Soweto, national coordinator of the Education Rights Campaign, described it as “illogical” that senators earn more than professors, arguing that politics should be about service, not wealth accumulation.
Across Africa, the contrast is stark. Professors in South Africa, Morocco, Kenya, Niger, Cameroon, and Gambia earn far more than their Nigerian counterparts, often with additional bonuses. The low pay in Nigeria sends a troubling message to students and young scholars: academia is undervalued and unsustainable.
ASUU President, Prof. Chris Piwuna, stressed that the government has failed to honor most parts of the 2009 agreement with the union, which promised university autonomy, adequate funding, and improved staff welfare. Even after the recent wage adjustments, professors receive less than N500,000, while graduate assistants earn between N135,000 and N160,000.
Professor Yakubu Ochefu, former Secretary General of the Committee of Vice-Chancellors, urged a national conference to tackle the systemic problems in higher education, including salary structures and funding gaps.
Meanwhile, officials from the National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission have remained largely unreachable on whether academics’ pay is under review, leaving lecturers and students anxious about the future of higher education in Nigeria.
