The Congress of University Academics (CONUA) has lauded the Federal Government’s launch of the Tertiary Institution Staff Support Fund (TISSF), a ₦10 billion loan scheme aimed at improving the welfare and capacity of staff in Nigeria’s tertiary education system. However, the union warned that credit access should not overshadow urgent structural reforms in academic compensation and benefits.
In a statement released Monday by its National President, Dr. Niyi Sunmonu, CONUA described the TISSF as a “welcome development” that aligns with the Federal Government’s Renewed Hope Agenda. The union said the fund has the potential to address some of the long-standing challenges facing both academic and non-academic personnel in universities, polytechnics, and colleges of education.
“CONUA views this move as a step in the right direction,” the statement read. “However, we strongly urge that the implementation be guided by fairness, transparency, and inclusiveness.”
To that end, the union demanded that all relevant staff unions, including CONUA, be included in the implementation and monitoring committees of the TISSF to ensure equitable access and to prevent bureaucratic or sectional exclusion.
While praising the loan scheme, CONUA emphasized that Nigeria’s university workforce needs more than credit.
“What the academic workforce truly needs at this time is sustainable welfare enhancement, not merely access to credit,” the statement added. “The economic reality in which academics live demands immediate, non-loan-based interventions.”
Unresolved Entitlements and Financial Commitments
The union further pressed the government to fulfill several outstanding financial obligations, many of which have lingered despite repeated engagements and assurances:
- Earned Academic Allowance (EAA): CONUA noted that the five tranches disbursed so far remain grossly inadequate.
- Promotion Arrears: Many institutions have yet to settle backlogs of promotion-related payments.
- Withheld Salaries: Academics who did not participate in strike actions are reportedly being denied three and a half months’ salary, a development CONUA labeled as unjust.
- Third-Party Deductions: The union highlighted that deductions for April to June 2022 were not remitted, despite salaries being paid.
- Wage Award Arrears: Arrears from January to December 2023 remain unpaid, along with five months of minimum wage adjustments.
Call for Salary Review
CONUA also called for an urgent salary restructuring that reflects current inflationary pressures and the naira’s declining value.
“The last meaningful wage review for academics occurred in 2009,” the statement pointed out. “With the steep rise in the cost of living and currency devaluation, it is imperative the government undertakes a comprehensive salary review that restores the dignity of the academic profession.”
CONUA reaffirmed its commitment to constructive dialogue and reform while urging federal authorities to act swiftly to stabilize Nigeria’s tertiary education system and retain talent in the face of rising emigration and economic uncertainty.
