A shocking revelation has emerged from Nigeria’s ivory towers as professors across the country narrate the bitter struggles they face despite years of service, decades of research, and the highest academic honours.
In interviews with Saturday PUNCH, several professors recounted their financial hardships, revealing how poor remuneration has left them trapped in endless debts, multiple loans, and survival hustles that demean their academic standing.
Despite holding the highest academic titles, many professors lament that their salaries — averaging about ₦500,000 monthly (roughly $366) — rank among the lowest in Africa. In comparison, professors in South Africa earn about $57,471 annually, while counterparts in Uganda ($50,595), Kenya ($48,000), and even smaller economies like Lesotho and Eswatini, take home significantly more. Shockingly, Nigeria also trails behind Sierra Leone and Zambia.
“We Survive on Loans”
Prof. Adebowale Adejumo of the University of Ilorin disclosed that he has been forced into multiple loans just to pay school fees and fuel his car.
“All my children are in private universities because of strikes. I take loans to pay fees. To even drive to work now is a struggle — fueling my car takes ₦10,000 daily, which my salary cannot sustain,” he lamented.
Other professors revealed similar ordeals, painting a grim picture of a profession once respected but now drowning in poverty. Some admitted to competing with students for seats on buses, while others confessed they live in staff quarters because they cannot afford proper housing.
Morale at Rock Bottom
The ASUU President, Prof. Emmanuel Piwuna, blamed chronic government neglect for the decay. According to him, Nigeria’s refusal to prioritize academics while politicians enjoy huge pay packages has dampened morale, discouraged young scholars, and crippled the education system.
A professor in Enugu, who chose anonymity, described the reality bluntly: “Once the salary comes in, we share it within minutes — rent, debt, food, fuel. Nothing is left. Many of us are living on loans. It is a pathetic situation.”
Professors warn that the poor state of remuneration is discouraging young Nigerians from pursuing academic careers, creating a dangerous future for higher education.
The Bigger Picture
Beyond the daily struggles, retired professors like Prof. Nnamdi Aduba of the University of Jos, and former UNILAG Vice Chancellor, Prof. Oluwatoyin Ogundipe, stressed that inflation, taxation, and stagnant salaries have pushed many scholars to the brink of despair.
“The lecturers are tired. The morale is low. Academic staff are leaving, and the standard of teaching is collapsing,” Prof. Ogundipe warned.
With professors earning less than $300 monthly in some cases, many Nigerians are now asking: how can the “giants of knowledge” in Africa’s biggest economy live in such poverty?
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