- Nigerian university lecturers remain among the lowest paid in Africa, with professors earning far less than their peers abroad
- Findings reveal that while a Nigerian professor earns about $4,400 annually, a South African counterpart takes home over $57,000
- The Academic Staff Union of Universities has criticised the government for neglecting academics, warning of possible strikes if salaries are not reviewed
University lecturers in Nigeria have emerged among the lowest paid in Africa, with professors earning an average of $366 (about N500,000) monthly.
This figure is far behind their peers in other African countries, according to findings by The PUNCH.
Source: Getty Images
Data on salaries of professors with less than 10 years on the professorial cadre in African public universities show a stark contrast. While a Nigerian professor earns about $4,400 annually, a South African professor takes home $57,471 yearly — more than 13 times higher.
Consolidated University Academic salary structure
According to Nigeria’s Consolidated University Academic Salary Structure (CONUASS), lecturers’ pay varies by rank:
1. Graduate Assistant
N125,000 – N138,020
2. Assistant Lecturer
N150,000 – N171,487
3. Lecturer II
N186,543 – N209,693
4. Lecturer I
N239,292 – N281,956
5. Senior Lecturer
N386,101 – N480,780
6. Reader
N436,392 – N522,212
7. Professor
N525,010 – N633,333
These figures are before deductions, meaning take-home pay is even lower.
The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has repeatedly criticised the Federal Government for prioritising pay increases for politicians while neglecting academics. The union argues that this imbalance undermines education and discourages young scholars from pursuing academic careers.
Call for urgent salary review
In 2025, Senior Lecturer in the Department of Economics, University of Lagos, Prof. Tunde Adeoye, urged the Federal Government to urgently review lecturers’ salaries to avert another industrial strike. He stated:
“The Federal Government must act quickly to improve lecturers’ welfare or risk another round of industrial action.”
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In May 2026, the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), said the federal government was foot dragging in the implementation of the agreement reached with it warning that universities could face imminent paralysis as a result of that.
The Union said the government was still using its old tactics of disrespecting collective bargaining and agreements reached.
Nigeria’s lecturers remain among the worst paid in Africa, despite their critical role in shaping the nation’s future. With professors earning less than a fraction of their counterparts abroad, calls for reform are growing louder. Without urgent action, the risk of further strikes and brain drain looms large.
Source: Getty Images
Civil service salary structure released in 2026
We earlier reported that the Consolidated Public Service Salary Structure (CONPSS) in Nigeria is a detailed framework that sets out how civil servants are paid. It is divided into 17 grade levels, with salaries determined by qualifications, years of service, and performance.
Following the new minimum wage signed by President Bola Tinubu’s administration, TRIBUNE ONLINE takes a closer look at the updated salary scales, focusing on grade levels 1, 7, 8, 10 and 15. See the salary structure here.