Over 200 lecturers leave Kaduna University due to low pay, ASUU warns of strike

Kaduna State University (KASU) is losing many experienced lecturers. The university’s ASUU chapter says more than 200 professors and other lecturers have left due to poor job conditions and the failure to implement the 2025 Federal Government-ASUU agreement.

ASUU-KASU chairman, Abubakar Abdullahi, shared this news at a press conference in Kaduna. A copy of the meeting’s communiqué was obtained, as PREMIUM TIMES did not attend the briefing.

Mr Abdullahi pointed out that the failure to implement the 2025 FGN-ASUU agreement, which started in January, has worsened the welfare of academic staff at the university. He mentioned that many experienced academics, including professors, have left because of these poor conditions.

“At a rate that we are losing more than 200 professors at a time, professors and others alike. It’s frightening,” Mr Abdullahi said. He described this situation as a serious loss of skilled workers.

He warned that finding replacements for these experienced academics would be hard. The ongoing loss could harm the university’s academic programs and reputation. According to the union, other universities have started implementing the agreement or announced timelines for it, but KASU staff are still waiting for their benefits.

Two-week ultimatum

ASUU-KASU has given the university management and relevant authorities two weeks to fully implement the 2025 FGN-ASUU agreement. The union warned that if its demands are not met, it might lead to a total and indefinite strike.

This decision came after an ASUU-KASU congress meeting 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 mentioned other issues that have not been resolved, like university autonomy, heavy workloads, promotion backlogs, death benefits, group life insurance, the 25 and 35 percent wage awards, and pension payments.

Mr Abdullahi said the ultimatum aims to give the authorities a chance to take real steps toward solving these problems.

‘Lecturers are facing hardship’

A lecturer at KASU, who asked to remain anonymous because he was not allowed to speak on the issue, confirmed to PREMIUM TIMES that staff at the university are dealing with serious hardship.

The lecturer said the concerns raised by ASUU show the tough conditions many lecturers are working under. “This call is needed, and the government must act now,” he said. He urged the government and relevant authorities to step in before things get worse.

Commissioner unavailable

Efforts to contact the Kaduna State Commissioner for Education for comments were unsuccessful. The commissioner’s phone number could not connect while this report was being filed. ASUU said it is still willing to talk but insisted that urgent action is needed to improve lecturers’ welfare and stop the ongoing loss of experienced academics from the university.