Over 200 Kaduna university lecturers quit over poor pay, ASUU says, threatens indefinite strike

Kaduna State University (KASU) is losing experienced academic workforce, with the university’s ASUU chapter saying more than 200 professors and other lecturers had left the institution over poor service conditions and the failure to implement the 2025 Federal Government-ASUU agreement.

The ASUU-KASU chairman, Abubakar Abdullahi, disclosed this at a press briefing in Kaduna, according to a communiqué from the meeting.

PREMIUM TIMES did not attend the press briefing but obtained a copy of the communiqué.

Mr Abdullahi said the failure to implement the 2025 FGN-ASUU agreement, which took effect in January, had contributed to the worsening welfare situation of academic staff at the university.

He said several experienced academics, including professors, had left the institution because of the poor conditions of service.

“At a rate that we are losing more than 200 professors at a time, professors and others alike. It’s frightening,” Mr Abdullahi said, describing the situation as a haemorrhage of experienced manpower.

He warned that replacing experienced academics would not be easy and that the continued exodus could affect the university’s academic programmes and overall reputation.

According to the union, the agreement has been implemented or timelines for its implementation announced by some other universities, while KASU academic staff remain without the benefits.

Two-week ultimatum

ASUU-KASU has given the university management and relevant authorities two weeks to begin the full implementation and domestication of the 2025 FGN-ASUU agreement.

The union warned that failure to address its demands could lead to a total, comprehensive and indefinite strike.

The decision followed an ASUU-KASU congress meeting held on August 12 and resolutions from the union’s national executive council meeting at the University of Abuja on August 8 and 9.

The union also listed other unresolved issues, including university autonomy, excessive workload, promotion arrears, death benefits, group life insurance, the 25 and 35 per cent wage awards, and pension remittances.

Mr Abdullahi said the ultimatum was intended to give the authorities an opportunity to take concrete steps towards resolving the issues.

‘Lecturers are facing hardship’

A lecturer at KASU, who asked not to be named because he was not authorised to speak publicly on the matter, confirmed to PREMIUM TIMES that academic staff at the institution are facing serious hardship.

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The lecturer said the concerns raised by ASUU reflected the difficult conditions under which many lecturers were working.

“This call is needed, and the government must act now,” the lecturer said, urging the government and relevant authorities to intervene before the situation worsens.

Commissioner unavailable

PREMIUM TIMES’ efforts to reach the Kaduna State Commissioner for Education for comment were unsuccessful.

The commissioner’s available telephone number could not connect at the time of filing this report.

ASUU said it remained open to dialogue but maintained that urgent action was needed to improve lecturers’ welfare and halt the continued departure of experienced academics from the university.