The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Akure Zone, has criticized the Federal Government for misrepresenting the status of ongoing negotiations with the union and for approving new universities despite a moratorium on their establishment. ASUU described the newly created institutions as potential “crisis centres.”
Speaking to journalists on Thursday at Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile-Ife, Osun State, Prof. Adeola Egbedokun, ASUU Akure Zonal Coordinator, said the government’s actions contradict its own seven-year freeze on creating new federal universities, polytechnics, and colleges of education—a measure introduced to address underutilized institutions, overstretched resources, and declining academic standards.
“The government announced a seven-year moratorium on the establishment of new tertiary institutions. Yet, we have seen approvals for nine new universities, including the one in Epe,” Egbedokun said. “Our position is clear: instead of proliferating new universities, the government should focus on adequately funding and improving existing ones.”
The moratorium had been approved during a Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting presided over by President Bola Tinubu, following a presentation by Minister of State for Education, Dr. Yusuf Sununu Alausa. The Federal Ministry of Education later clarified that the approvals for the Federal University of Science and Technology, Epe, as well as institutions in Kachia and Ogoniland, were granted through presidential executive memos prior to the FEC’s moratorium decision.
Union Rejects Salary Adjustment Offer
Reviewing progress since the suspension of its warning strike, Egbedokun stated that ASUU’s National Executive Council rejected the government’s proposed 35% salary increase, describing it as “tokenistic and insulting.” He warned that the offer would neither halt the exodus of academics nor restore dignity to the profession.
“In clear terms, the union has rejected the 35% salary increment. While some non-monetary gains have been achieved, critical issues such as salary and working conditions remain unresolved and demand urgent intervention,” he said.
Egbedokun also condemned officials who distort facts and misrepresent the negotiations, adding: “Partial payments of promotion arrears dating back to 2017 and delayed release of third-party deductions running into billions of naira cannot be presented as substantive achievements.”
With less than a month remaining for the government to act on ASUU’s demands, Egbedokun urged authorities to “act with clarity, commitment, and integrity” to reach a lasting resolution.
“Nothing short of a fair and respectable living wage for Nigerian academics is acceptable. Investing in education is the surest way to secure Nigeria’s future,” he added.
ASUU’s Key Demands
The union reiterated its core demands, including:
Completion of the re-negotiation of the 2009 ASUU-FGN Agreement
Payment of outstanding 25–35% salary arrears
Payment of promotion arrears
Release of unremitted third-party deductions
Sustainable funding for Nigerian universities
Egbedokun warned that failure to meet these demands could trigger industrial unrest across campuses.
ASUU leaders present at the briefing included Prof. Anthony Odiwe (OAU), Prof. Bamidele Mogaji (FUTA), Prof. Sola Afolayan (EKSU), Dr. Abraham Oladebeye (UNIMED), Dr. Abayomi Fagbuagun (FUOYE), Dr. Babatope Ogundare (BOUESTI), and Dr. Bosun Ajisafe (Adeyemi Federal University of Education, Ondo).
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