A former Vice-Chancellor of the University of Ibadan, Prof. Idowu Olayinka, has said Nigerian university lecturers are among the lowest paid in Africa, warning that poor salaries are a major reason for repeated strikes in public universities.
Olayinka stated this while delivering a convocation lecture at Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba Akoko, Ondo State. The lecture was titled “Strengthening the academic tradition in the Nigerian university system.”
He said Nigerian universities are struggling with several problems, including poor funding, weak service delivery, ageing academic staff and frequent industrial actions by staff unions.
According to him, strikes by the Academic Staff Union of Universities will not stop unless the Federal and state governments take serious steps to improve lecturers’ welfare and fix decaying infrastructure on campuses.
“A nation that impoverishes its teachers undermines its future,” Olayinka said.
“Nigeria must learn that intellectual labour cannot be chained, and scholars cannot be caged. Lecturers are global citizens who belong to a borderless world of thought, and a government that fails to honour them is, ultimately, dishonouring itself.”
He noted that poor pay discourages talented young Nigerians from choosing academia as a lifelong career.
Recent findings by The PUNCH showed wide gaps in academic salaries across Africa. A Nigerian professor with less than 10 years in the professorial cadre earns about $4,400 per year, while a professor in South Africa earns about $57,471 annually.
Kenyan professors earn about $48,000 yearly, while countries with smaller economies such as Eswatini pay about $41,389, Lesotho $32,455 and Gabon $29,907.
Even Sierra Leone, Zambia and Comoros reportedly pay their professors more than Nigeria.
Olayinka urged governments to tackle the root causes of labour disputes in universities, especially issues related to welfare, funding and staffing.
He also called for the recruitment of more qualified lecturers through transparent and competitive processes to improve staff-to-student ratios.
According to him, staff development should be taken more seriously, including support for seminars, conferences and workshops to help young academics grow.
“All teaching staff should continue to be encouraged to take advantage of ICT facilities in teaching and supervising postgraduate students,” he said.
“Under special arrangements, supervision of postgraduate students should be allowed to continue for up to three years after the supervisor has retired.”
He also advised universities to make better use of emeritus professors and adjunct lecturers, particularly for postgraduate teaching and supervision.
“There should also be adequate provision for the acquisition of new equipment and facilities to aid teaching and research,” he added.
Speaking at the event, the Vice-Chancellor of Adekunle Ajasin University, Prof. Olugbenga Ige, described the convocation lecture as an opportunity to reflect on ideas that could shape the future of Nigeria’s university system.
He praised Olayinka for upholding academic standards, describing him as “a consummate scholar and a visionary administrator.”
