Professors Voiced Out Struggles With Debts Over Poor Pay

Some professors in the country have recounted their struggles with poor remuneration, revealing how meagre salaries have forced them into multiple loans and an unending cycle of debt.

In separate interviews with Saturday PUNCH, the lecturers described how the government’s weak commitment to education has made life increasingly difficult for them and their families.

Their concerns come amid ongoing agitation by the Academic Staff Union of Universities, which has repeatedly criticised the Federal Government for prioritising pay raises for politicians while neglecting academics.

The ASUU National President, Emmanuel Piwuna, blamed the stagnant salaries of university lecturers on chronic government neglect.

He argued that the disregard for academics has crippled universities’ ability to attract quality staff, dampened morale, and reduced academic output.

Data on professors with less than 10 years on the professorial cadre in African public universities show that Nigerian lecturers rank among the worst paid on the continent, with professors earning an average of $366 (about N500,000) monthly.

While a Nigerian professor earns about $4,400 annually, a South African counterpart takes home $57,471, more than 13 times higher.