Reported by: Ijeoma G | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Kaduna State University (KASU) chapter, has raised an urgent alarm over the alarming exodus of more than 200 professors and other academic staff from the institution, warning that unless the Kaduna State Government and university authorities urgently reverse the situation, the university could be plunged into an indefinite industrial crisis that would further cripple its academic programmes and reputation. The union, at a press conference held on Monday at its secretariat in Kaduna, issued a two-week ultimatum to the university management, the Governing Council and other stakeholders to fully domesticate and implement the 2025 Federal Government-ASUU Agreement, warning that failure to act within the notice period would compel the union to embark on a total, comprehensive and indefinite strike.
The ASUU-KASU Chairman, Dr Abubakar Abdullahi, disclosed that the 2025 FGN-ASUU Agreement, which provides for improved salaries and conditions of service for lecturers in Nigerian universities, became effective in January 2026, but eight months later, Kaduna State University had yet to commence implementation. He expressed deep concern that more than 200 professors and other academics have left the university in search of better remuneration and improved working conditions elsewhere, a development he described as a serious threat to the future of the institution. According to him, the continued refusal to implement the agreement has triggered a steady exodus of experienced lecturers, warning that replacing highly experienced professors and lecturers would take years and could significantly weaken teaching quality, research output and postgraduate supervision.
Abdullahi stressed that the delay in implementing the agreement had made KASU academic staff among the lowest-paid university workers in Nigeria, a stark contrast to the institution's previous reputation for prioritising staff welfare. He noted that while almost all federal universities and several state-owned institutions had either implemented the agreement or announced timelines for its implementation, KASU remained an exception. He warned that the continued delay would only increase the salary arrears accumulating from January 2026, making the financial burden even heavier.
The chairman listed several unresolved local issues affecting members of the union, including university autonomy, excessive workload, promotion arrears, death benefits, group life insurance coverage, the 25 and 35 per cent wage awards, and pension remittances. He urged the university management and other relevant authorities to treat the issues with urgency and provide satisfactory responses to avert industrial disharmony and preserve peace and stability at the institution. Abdullahi disclosed that the union's Congress, during its meeting on August 12, 2026, resolved to declare an industrial dispute and embark on a total, comprehensive and indefinite strike, in line with the resolution of the ASUU National Executive Council, which met at the University of Abuja on August 8 and 9, 2026. He said the two-week ultimatum was issued in accordance with established procedures governing industrial disputes, giving the university authorities time to take concrete steps towards the full implementation and domestication of the agreement.
The mass resignation of experienced academics, including professors, has raised fears about the institution's ability to retain experienced lecturers and maintain its academic standards. Abdullahi described the exodus as frightening, warning that no system survives such a haemorrhage of experienced manpower. He said the loss of these professors and other experienced academic staff is not something that the university can easily recover from, as replacing their knowledge and years of experience overnight is impossible, and it could take years for the university to recover.
The union appealed to parents, students, civil society organisations and other well-meaning Nigerians to intervene to prevent another prolonged disruption of academic activities at the institution. ASUU-KASU warned that failure to resolve the issues within the stipulated period could trigger an indefinite strike, potentially paralysing academic activities at Kaduna State University. The ultimatum, which began on August 17, 2026, will expire at the end of the month, leaving the fate of the university and its students hanging in the balance.
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