A former leader of the Nigerian Academy of Letters (NAL) has made a strong case for a dramatic salary review for university professors, stating that their monthly pay should not be less than N2.5 million. This demand comes at a time when the Federal Government is set to implement a 40 per cent salary increase for academic staff across the country.
Current Pay is Among Lowest in the World
In a recent interview, the immediate past president of NAL, Prof. Sola Akinrinade, painted a grim picture of the current remuneration for lecturers. Akinrinade, who became a full professor in 1999, revealed that his own take-home pay is N584,000, with a gross salary of approximately N700,000. He described this as one of the lowest rates for professors anywhere in the world.
He expressed deep concern that Nigerian lecturers earn far less than their counterparts in other African nations. This vast disparity, according to him, discourages academic productivity and severely weakens the capacity of Nigerian scholars to compete and negotiate on the international stage.
A Call for Comprehensive University Reform
Prof. Akinrinade lamented that many citizens do not grasp the importance of the ongoing agitation for better wages in the academic sector. He pointed to progressive examples within Nigeria, such as Rivers State, where professors reportedly earn over N1 million monthly, as a model that should be adopted nationally.
Beyond salaries, the university teacher highlighted a host of other challenges crippling higher education in Nigeria. These critical issues include:
- A severe lack of funding for research.
- Inadequate infrastructure in universities.
- Poor opportunities for staff development.
The Path Forward: Funding and Autonomy
To address these systemic problems, Akinrinade called for a complete overhaul of the university funding model. His recommendations are clear and direct:
He urged the government to create dedicated allocations specifically for research, library development, laboratory equipment, and continuous staff training. Furthermore, he advocated for stronger university autonomy and legal protections for staff who advocate for better working conditions, to prevent victimisation.
The former NAL chief's powerful appeal underscores a growing crisis in Nigerian academia, where brain drain and declining standards are often linked to poor welfare and insufficient investment in the sector's human capital.
