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By Tracy Moses
The President of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Prof. Emmanuel Victor Osodeke, has raised alarm over the deteriorating state of Nigeria’s education system, urging the Federal Government to allocate at least 15 to 20 percent of the national budget to the sector.
Speaking on Saturday, May 10, 2025, during his presidential address at the opening ceremony of the 23rd National Delegates Conference (NDC) of ASUU at the University of Benin, Edo State, Prof. Osodeke warned that without urgent intervention, Nigeria’s education sector could face total collapse.
“Public education in Nigeria has suffered from decades of chronic underfunding,” Osodeke lamented. “At the heart of Nigeria’s national crisis is the education sector, arguably the most neglected pillar of development.”
He noted that while UNESCO recommends a minimum 15–20 percent budgetary allocation to education, Nigeria’s annual investment hovers around 6–8 percent, grossly inadequate to meet both national and international educational benchmarks.
According to him, the consequences are visible: dilapidated infrastructure, non-functional laboratories and libraries, and alarmingly low digital literacy levels across public institutions. “The Nigerian public university system, once a beacon in West Africa, is now frequently crippled by avoidable industrial actions,” he said.
The ASUU President attributed the recurring strikes to issues such as unpaid salaries, proliferation of universities without corresponding funding, lack of institutional autonomy, and the Federal Government’s failure to honour agreements, particularly the 2009 ASUU-FG agreement.
“Access to quality education is now a privilege. While children of the elite attend well-equipped private institutions, millions of children in rural communities are left to study in schools without roofs, furniture, or trained teachers,” he said.
Prof. Osodeke further decried the neglect of technical and vocational education, describing it as a missed opportunity for tackling youth unemployment and underdevelopment.
“That sector has nearly collapsed. Technical colleges and vocational centres are grossly underfunded or non-existent. Our youths, lacking employable skills, are left with limited choices, riding Okada, engaging in internet fraud or criminal activities,” he said, warning that Nigeria is now forced to import artisans from neighbouring countries like Benin Republic and Togo.
He stressed that while Nigerian universities produce thousands of graduates yearly, many leave school without practical skills due to inadequate infrastructure and poor funding. “Universities, which should be hubs of research and innovation, are now battling with outdated facilities and demoralized staff,” he said.
Delivering a goodwill message on behalf of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), its Deputy National President, Comrade Adewale Adeyanju, reaffirmed the NLC’s support for ASUU’s struggle. Representing NLC President, Comrade Joe Ajaero, Adeyanju described ASUU’s demands as a patriotic quest to salvage the soul of Nigeria.
“Your struggle goes beyond bread and butter; it’s a civic duty aimed at preserving Nigeria’s intellectual sovereignty,” he said. “We salute your resilience. The recent release of N40 billion to ASUU is commendable, but we must ask—did it truly leave the coffers of government, or is it another ‘audio allocation’? Let us not celebrate until every kobo reaches those who earned it.”
Also speaking at the conference, former INEC Chairman and one-time ASUU President, Prof. Attahiru Jega, described education as a critical component of nation building, praising ASUU for its longstanding commitment to improving the sector.
“In striving to protect and expand educational opportunities, ASUU has made enormous sacrifices. Its members have endured harassment, intimidation, and deprivation, yet they continue to fight gallantly,” Jega said.
The weeklong ASUU National Delegates Conference is expected to conclude on Sunday, May 11, with the election and inauguration of a new national president to lead the union.