The Academic Staff Union of Universities has called on the Federal Government and state governments to substantially increase funding for education, saying inadequate investment is undermining research, public universities and Nigeria’s ability to compete in the global knowledge economy.
The ASUU President, Prof Christopher Piwuna, made the demand on Wednesday during an interview on Eagle 102.5 FM’s Frontline, where he spoke on the implementation of the agreement reached between the Federal Government and the university lecturers’ union in December 2025.
Piwuna said ASUU had advocated the allocation of up to 26 per cent of government budgets to education, stressing that funding the sector should be regarded as an investment in Nigeria’s future rather than an expenditure to be sacrificed whenever governments face competing demands. 
He, however, disclosed that the union eventually reached a compromise with the Federal Government on 15 per cent, acknowledging the financial difficulties associated with immediately meeting the 26 per cent benchmark. According to him, the 15 per cent agreement was expected to provide a foundation for progressively increasing education funding.
“Every government should at least aim to supply or to fund their budget or dedicate their budget up to 26 percent to education, and Nigeria is not an exception,” Piwuna said.
The ASUU president also linked improved funding to the development of research and public universities, saying the December 2025 agreement contained provisions for university funding, improved salaries and the establishment or strengthening of a research council, among other commitments.
Piwuna said Nigeria could not build universities capable of producing globally competitive knowledge without sustained investment in research, warning that inadequate funding would continue to limit the capacity of academics and institutions to contribute meaningfully to national development.
He expressed concern that months after the December agreement was signed, the union was still engaging the government over unresolved aspects of the pact. Piwuna said ASUU had expected the agreement to usher in greater stability in the university system and shift attention from recurring disputes to academic development.
According to him, inconsistent implementation of the agreement had continued to affect universities, particularly in the payment of salaries and the application of the new salary structure. He said some institutions had allegedly been forced to embark on industrial action before salary-related issues were addressed, while some universities were yet to benefit from the new salary structure.
Piwuna said the responsibility for developing university education should not be left to the Federal Government alone, noting that state governments also had important roles to play because of the large number of state-owned universities. He said ASUU had engaged the Minister of Education and the Chairman of the committee monitoring the implementation of the Federal Government agreement, Senator Larry Tejuosho, over the outstanding issues.
The ASUU president urged political leaders to make education a sustained national priority, arguing that adequate funding, effective implementation of agreements and stronger support for research were essential to developing human capital, promoting innovation and positioning Nigerian universities to contribute to the country’s economic development.
