CONUA Calls for Urgent Salary Review for Lecturers Amidst Rising Inflation
The Congress of University Academics (CONUA) has renewed calls for a comprehensive salary review for lecturers, urging the Federal Government to address the economic realities faced by university staff in Nigeria.
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Speaking in Abuja on Saturday, CONUA President, Professor Niyi Sunmonu, emphasized that while the union welcomed the Federal Government’s recent release of ₦50 billion for Earned Academic Allowances (EAA) for university staff, the more pressing issue remains the urgent need for salary adjustment in line with the country’s current inflationary trends.
“What is important to us is much more than any academic allowance; it is actually the improvement of our salaries to be commensurate with the inflationary pressures in the country,” Sunmonu stated.
He recalled that as far back as 2009, a minimum monthly salary of ₦1.2 million was proposed for professors. However, the proposal was rejected by the leadership of the then-unified academic union, which, in CONUA’s view, resulted in stagnated earnings and worsened the economic plight of lecturers.
“We believe that by rejecting that proposal, we effectively negotiated ourselves into poverty. That is why we protested. We do not want a repeat of such a mistake,” Sunmonu stressed.
Addressing issues surrounding the ongoing re-negotiation of the 2009 FGN-University Staff Agreement, Sunmonu lamented that CONUA had been sidelined in the process. He disclosed that the last official meeting CONUA attended was on December 20, 2024, after which they received no further invitations.
“Only recently, on April 5, 2025, we read in the news that Alhaji Yayale Ahmed and his committee had submitted their report without our participation,” Sunmonu said.
“We have protested publicly and directly written to the Minister of Education, making it clear that concluding negotiations without our input risks disrupting the peace currently being enjoyed in universities.”
He firmly asserted that CONUA must represent its own interests and would not accept decisions made without its involvement. “No union can represent our interests better than we can ourselves. They cannot shave our heads behind our backs,” he warned.
Sunmonu also advised the Federal Government to ensure an equitable sharing formula for the recently released Earned Academic Allowances to prevent favoritism among unions and promote lasting peace within the university system.
The CONUA President’s remarks come at a critical time when university staff across Nigeria continue to grapple with high living costs, stagnant wages, and ongoing negotiations aimed at revamping conditions of service in the nation’s tertiary institutions.
As the academic community anticipates the outcome of the re-negotiated agreements, CONUA’s firm stance signals the union’s determination to secure better welfare and equitable treatment for its members in the evolving educational landscape.
