The Congress of University Academics (CONUA) has praised the Federal Government for releasing long-delayed third-party deductions owed to its members, describing the move as a positive step towards resolving persistent labour issues in the university system.
In a statement signed by the National President, Dr. Niyi Sunmonu, the union said the payment addressed one of the concerns it had repeatedly raised with government authorities over the past year.
CONUA had, in a letter dated 2 April 2025, formally protested the non-remittance of the deductions to the Accountant-General of the Federation. The petition included a comprehensive list of affected members and outstanding sums. The matter was subsequently presented to the Minister of Education during several engagements — including a meeting on 11 September 2025 — and later submitted to the Yayale Ahmed Renegotiation Committee on 13 October 2025.
The union said the release of the deductions was a significant step towards addressing long-standing concerns, adding that it would help rebuild trust and strengthen relations between the government and academic unions.
CONUA says wage-award arrears, promotion arrears remain outstanding
Despite welcoming the payment, CONUA urged the government to prioritise other unresolved issues affecting university workers.
The union acknowledged the government’s approval of ₦2.3 billion for clearing promotion arrears but said the amount fell short of verified needs across universities.
It also noted that the 25–35% wage-award arrears for January to December 2023 remained unpaid. According to the statement, both the Minister of Education and the Yayale Ahmed Committee acknowledged the matter during engagements in September and October.
A major point of contention, CONUA said, was the continued withholding of three-and-a-half months’ salaries belonging to its members — despite the union insisting it did not declare or participate in any strike.
The union argued that the action contravened Section 43(1b) of the Trade Disputes Act, which protects workers during employer-initiated lockouts, as well as a National Industrial Court judgment delivered on 25 July 2023, which affirmed CONUA as an independent union that cannot be penalised for the actions of another group.
It urged the Federal Government to release the withheld salaries as “a matter of fairness, justice and respect for the rule of law”.
Union warns of looming system collapse
Beyond the immediate arrears, CONUA warned that unresolved issues around remuneration and conditions of service threatened the sustainability of Nigeria’s university system, citing rising brain drain, weak recruitment of young academics and widening mentorship gaps.
“If this trend continues, the university system faces the real risk of collapse within the next decade,” it warned.
The union stressed that academic remuneration must reflect current socio-economic realities and should be globally competitive or, at minimum, “meet the African continental average” if Nigeria hopes to restore dignity and stability to the profession.
CONUA reaffirmed its commitment to constructive dialogue, describing the latest payment as evidence of goodwill from the Federal Government. It expressed hope that the momentum would be sustained until all outstanding labour issues are resolved.
