The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) in Ibadan voiced serious concerns about the Federal Government’s prolonged neglect of long-standing agreements affecting Nigeria’s public universities.
They warned that without prompt government action, another labor stoppage may be unavoidable.
Prof. Biodun Olaniran, the Ibadan Zonal Coordinator, spoke at a press briefing held at the University of Ibadan’s ASUU Secretariat. He pointed out that the recent calm in public university campuses is as a result of the union’s patience and hope that federal authorities would fulfill their pledges. However, he stressed that meaningful advances remain elusive, citing numerous unresolved matters that continue to threaten stability.
The Ibadan zone of ASUU represents several institutions, including the University of Ibadan, University of Ilorin, Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, Osun State University, Kwara State University, and Emmanuel Alayande University of Education.
Olaniran elaborated on multiple pending demands, ranging from revisiting the 2009 ASUU-FGN Agreement, securing adequate funding, restoring institutional autonomy, to addressing the payment of withheld wages and overdue promotions. He lamented the government’s refusal to endorse the draft pact negotiated in 2021, as well as the disregard for the comprehensive Yayale Ahmed report submitted earlier in 2025.
Criticizing budget allocations, he uncovered the insufficient contribution to education, merely seven percent of the 2025 national budget, far below UNESCO’s suggested range of 15 to 26 percent. This shortfall has left universities grappling with dilapidated facilities, under-equipped labs, and inadequate housing for students. According to Olaniran, Nigerian public universities rank nowhere near the global top 1,000.
The union also condemned what they described as retaliatory actions against members in institutions such as Lagos State University, Kogi State University, and the Federal University of Technology, Owerri, where union leaders face fabricated accusations and illegal salary withholding.
Regarding academic independence, the union criticized the forced dissolution of governing councils, political interference through appointed officials, and the erosion of senate authority due to the National Universities Commission’s centralized curriculum control.
ASUU demanded the release of three and a half months’ back pay withheld during the 2022 strike, as well as the arrears relating to the recent wage increase promised but not paid. The involvement of the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS) was also called into question, with allegations of financial mismanagement and failure to process promotion backlogs spanning over four years.
We cherish peace, but we cannot stand idly by while delays jeopardize the welfare of lecturers and the future of our education sector – Prof. Olaniran
The union’s call states the critical need for swift government intervention to avert a looming crisis in Nigeria’s higher education system.
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