13x Less: Salary of Professors in Nigeria Compared to Other African Countries
- A new report has revealed that Nigerian university professors are earning far less than their African counterparts
- The pay gap is crystal clear when Nigerian professors' salary is compared to South African counterparts
- ASUU warns that poor pay and worsening conditions are driving top academics out of Nigerian universities
Legit.ng journalist Dave Ibemere has over a decade of experience in business journalism, with in-depth knowledge of the Nigerian economy, stocks, and general market trends.
Nigeria’s university lecturers are among the lowest paid in Africa, with professors earning less than $400 (₦550,000) monthly.
This is 13 times lower than their South African counterparts a new comparative study has revealed.
Source: Getty Images
Pay Gap between Nigerian and African professors
BusinessDay reports that a comparative analysis of academic salaries across Africa shows that Nigerian professors take home an average of $366.66 monthly, while those in South Africa earn about $4,800.
Professors in Uganda and Kenya receive $1,166 and $1,316, respectively, while their peers in Ghana earn around $720.72 and in Lesotho about $834.
Even lecturers in smaller economies such as Malawi ($374), Seychelles ($1,538.46), and Zimbabwe ($300) fare better or nearly equal to their Nigerian counterparts.
The study also revealed a wide annual disparity: a South African professor earns an average of $58,044 per year, compared to just $4,400 for a Nigerian professor.
Nigerian professors' salaries raise concerns
Education experts have said the salary gap between Nigerian professors and African counterparts captures the worsening state of Nigeria’s university system.
They noted that poor remuneration, inflation, and dwindling research funding have eroded morale and productivity among academics.
The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) warned that the low pay is driving many Nigerian academics away.
Olujimi Dada, chairman of ASUU at the Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH), said:
“Academic remuneration isn’t a private issue; it’s public information. Anyone can easily verify how much less Nigerian lecturers earn compared to their peers across Africa.
“The government demands better performance from us, yet fails to provide the necessary support and fair compensation.”
Source: Getty Images
Dada described the situation as “unsustainable and demoralising,” recalling that Nigerian universities once attracted foreign lecturers but are now losing experts to other countries.
He asked.
“Today, a Nigerian professor earns less than $500, while others earn over $2,000. How do you define that?”
He also criticised government spending priorities, noting that Nigeria pays up to $2,000 monthly to citizens working in other African countries while its own professors struggle to survive at home.
Dada added:
“Do you think anyone would leave their stable jobs in Rwanda or Lesotho to teach in Nigeria? No one would want to come."
Nigerian professors earning gardener’s 3-hour pay
Earlier, Legit.ng reported that Prof. Wande Abimbola, a former vice-chancellor of Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, warned that inadequate pay for lecturers poses a serious threat to the survival of Nigerian universities.
Speaking during the Boiling Point Arena, a monthly interview discourse hosted by media professional Dr Ayo Arowojolu, Abimbola criticised the federal government for its perceived neglect of the academic sector.
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Source: Legit.ng
