The Congress of University Academics (CONUA) has criticised the Federal Government’s recently launched Tertiary Institution Staff Support Fund (TISSF), stating that while the initiative may offer short-term relief, it fails to address the root welfare concerns of academic staff across the country.
In a strongly worded statement issued on Monday, CONUA’s National President, Dr. Niyi Sunmonu, described the credit-based support as inadequate in the face of mounting economic hardship and long-standing unresolved issues in Nigeria’s university system. He insisted that what the academic workforce truly requires is sustainable welfare enhancement—not mere access to loans.
The TISSF scheme, introduced by the Federal Government, offers loans of up to ₦10 million to eligible academic and non-academic staff in tertiary institutions. However, CONUA warned that this financial intervention must not distract from critical, structural concerns affecting lecturers nationwide.
“Loans are no replacement for earned entitlements or a living wage,” Sunmonu stated. “The economic reality in which Nigerian academics live today demands immediate, non-loan-based interventions. The focus must shift from temporary palliatives to long-term, meaningful reforms.”
Highlighting a backlog of grievances, the union cited unpaid Earned Academic Allowances, withheld salaries for three and a half months, outstanding promotion arrears, and unremitted third-party deductions between April and June 2022. Also mentioned were unpaid wage award arrears from 2023 and five months of minimum wage arrears still owed to lecturers.
Sunmonu further noted that the last major salary adjustment for university academics took place in 2009—over a decade ago. He stressed the urgent need for a comprehensive salary review in light of spiralling inflation, rising living costs, and the steep devaluation of the naira.
“With these economic pressures mounting daily, it is imperative that the government undertakes an immediate review of academic salaries to reflect present realities and to restore the dignity of the academic profession,” he said.
Beyond salaries, CONUA also called attention to pension-related issues, urging the prompt release of pension arrears and the removal of bureaucratic bottlenecks hindering timely payments to retired lecturers.
While acknowledging the TISSF scheme as a “step in the right direction,” the union demanded inclusive implementation. It called for the representation of all stakeholder unions, including CONUA, on the scheme’s monitoring and implementation committees to ensure equity and transparency.
“We strongly urge that the process be fair, transparent, and inclusive,” the statement read. “To ensure broad-based trust and accountability, it is essential that all relevant unions are actively involved in the oversight of this initiative.”
CONUA concluded by urging the Federal Government to go beyond financial schemes and adopt a holistic approach that genuinely addresses the structural challenges facing Nigeria’s tertiary education sector. According to the union, only through sustainable reforms can academic confidence be restored and the integrity of the university system preserved.
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