The Academic Staff Union of Universities has urged the Federal Government to significantly increase funding for public universities, emphasising that proper investment in education is the only sustainable solution to ending frequent strikes and improving Nigeria’s standing in global university rankings.
Speaking before the Senate Committee on Tertiary Institutions and TETFund at the National Assembly on Friday, ASUU warned that without consistent and adequate funding, the challenges facing higher education in the country would persist.
The ASUU President, Chris Piwuna, who spoke on behalf of the union, stated that the ongoing two-week warning strike resulted from longstanding issues that dated as far back as 2011.
“We engaged the Federal Government for eight years without tangible results.
“The Yayale Ahmed Committee report, submitted in December 2024, was ignored until this industrial action began,” Piwuna said.
According to him, the key demands of ASUU, including sustainable funding, improved conditions of service, revitalisation of public universities, and academic autonomy, remain unchanged.
The union also challenged the Senate committee to push the government to increase funding.
“Try us. Push government to fund universities adequately and you’ll see the end of strikes and the improvement of our universities in global rankings,” the ASUU president told the senators.
On funding delays, Piwuna revealed that although the National Assembly approved ₦150 billion for universities, only ₦50 billion had been released so far.
Even that amount, he noted, remains stuck at the Ministry of Education, where the minister allegedly intends to share it among universities, polytechnics, and colleges of education, despite separate allocations for those institutions.
He cautioned that the ₦150 billion approved specifically for universities must be used for the intended purpose.
Meanwhile, ASUU raised the alarm over attempts by the Federal Capital Territory Minister, Nyesom Wike, to allegedly tamper with a portion of the 10,000 hectares of land belonging to the University of Abuja.
It said, “We are worried because the University of Abuja is located in the FCT. Anyone serious about higher education should be focused on developing it.
“If the minister wants land, he should look in the opposite direction.
“The university has over 10,000 hectares of land. Despite repeated calls, the FCT minister continues to show interest in acquiring part of it.
“We appeal to the Senate to intervene and prevail on the minister to leave the university land alone.”
ASUU had declared a two-week warning strike starting from October 13.
The lecturers have been at loggerheads with the government over the work conditions of lecturers, the 2009 FGN-ASUU agreement, the release of withheld salaries, and sustainable funding for the revitalisation of public universities.
But the government said it had addressed all demands by ASUU and was open to continued negotiation to avert the strike.
Following the strike, the FG imposed the no-work, no-pay policy on striking members of the union