At least 84 Nigerian academics have died in the past three months due to extreme economic hardship and unpaid salaries, according to the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU).
ASUU President, Professor Emmanuel Osodeke revealed this troubling statistic during an interview on Channels Television’s Inside Sources. “From May to August 2024, Nigerian universities lost 84 academics,” he stated. “This is a direct result of what our people are enduring.”
Osodeke criticised the government’s “no-work, no-pay” policy, which has withheld salaries. “People are struggling to survive while facing rising fuel and electricity costs,” he said, emphasising the urgency of the situation.
He also shared his own challenges, earning only N420,000 a month. “Inadequate compensation prevents Nigerian lecturers from competing globally,” he noted.
On September 25, ASUU issued a 14-day ultimatum to the Federal Government, demanding action on issues such as renegotiating the 2009 agreement and resolving withheld salaries. Following an eight-month strike in 2022, the government released only partial payments.
“This partial payment is insufficient,” Osodeke insisted, calling for full compensation for the strike period. As frustrations mount, the future of Nigeria’s higher education system hangs in the balance.
