The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has voiced concerns over how vice-chancellors are appointed in Nigerian public universities. The body highlighted the case at Alvan Ikoku Federal University of Education, Owerri, Imo State. The union lamented that institutions once renowned for scholarship are being treated as “commodities for politicians and contractors,” with merit increasingly sidelined.
Condemning the move to reinstate the Acting Vice-Chancellor of the institution, ASUU remarked that her promotion to reader and later professor was marked by “a lot of contradictions,” raising questions about the credibility of the process.
Lecturers Struggling Through Import-Starved Campuses
ASUU painted a grim portrait of academic life in public universities: lecturers teaching “on empty stomachs” and relying on libraries and labs lacking essential electronic and physical journals, books, chemicals, and reagents.
These educators are forced to visit communities in “rickety cars,” all while burdened by utility bills, school fees, rents, and other financial obligations. Yet, elite Nigerians continue to criticize universities for producing “unemployable graduates” and failing to foster innovation. “Our members feel forgotten, shamed and demoralised,” the union lamented.
Broken Promises: The Renegotiation of the 2009 Agreement
At the heart of ASUU’s frustration lies the protracted renegotiation of the 2009 FGN–ASUU Agreement. A draft from the Yayale Ahmed-led committee was reportedly submitted to the government in December 2024. But five months on, no signed agreement yet exists ASUU alleged.
ASUU referenced multiple Memoranda of Understanding and Action. For instance 2013, 2017, 2019, and 2020 were observed evidence of governments offering only temporary fixes. They insist on a binding Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA). The union is adamant: “No memorandum or ‘discussion’ can take the place of a Collective Bargaining Agreement … The time to act is now!”
A Call to Action: Prevent the Next Crisis
Citing ILO Conventions No. 98 (1949) and 154 (1981), ASUU argues that the inconsistent approach of successive governments toward collective bargaining has bred deep mistrust. Governments’ tendency to reverse commitments created an atmosphere of cynicism and the current administration needs to undo.
ASUU urged Nigerians to pressure federal and state governments to swiftly resolve lingering labor issues in the university system. It warned that continued neglect risks sparking yet another industrial crisis.