Reps raise concern as lecturers quit Nigerian varsities

The House of Representatives Committee on University Education has expressed grave concern over the escalating departure of academic and non-teaching staff from Nigerian universities, warning that the trend poses a major threat to the nation’s higher education system.

Chairman of the committee, Hon. Abubakar Fulata, made the observation on Thursday during an oversight visit to federal and state-owned universities in the South-East. He lamented that while thousands of staff have left various institutions in recent years, there has been no corresponding recruitment to fill the vacancies.

Citing the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN) as an example, Fulata disclosed that the institution has lost more than 3,000 academic and non-academic staff since 2019 through retirement and death. Yet, approval has been granted to recruit only 500 replacements.

“It is abnormal and dangerous for our university system to keep losing staff without making provisions for replacements,” Fulata said. “Such imbalance undermines academic continuity and weakens institutional capacity.”

He urged the Federal Ministry of Education, governing councils, and other relevant agencies to urgently address the manpower shortage, warning that sustained vacancies in teaching and administrative positions could further erode educational standards.

Fulata also charged universities to comply fully with federal character principles in their recruitment processes, stressing that many institutions have failed to reflect Nigeria’s diversity in staffing.

Nigeria’s university system has long struggled with poor funding, dilapidated infrastructure, and low staff morale. These issues, coupled with poor remuneration and limited research support, have fueled an increasing wave of academic migration—popularly referred to as “brain drain.”

During the administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari, public universities were shut for nearly a full academic session due to prolonged industrial action by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU). The current administration of President Bola Tinubu now faces similar threats, as unions warn of fresh strikes if longstanding grievances remain unresolved.

Fulata assured that the House committee would continue to engage all stakeholders to strengthen the university system and stem the loss of skilled manpower in Nigeria’s tertiary institutions.