Over 239 First-Class Lecturers Resign from UNILAG Over Poor Pay, Former VC Laments
The University of Lagos (UNILAG) is facing a serious academic crisis as over 239 first-class lecturers have resigned over the past seven years due to poor remuneration and unsatisfactory working conditions, former Vice-Chancellor Professor Oluwatoyin Ogundipe has revealed.
Professor Ogundipe, who served as UNILAG’s vice-chancellor until recently, stated that the mass resignation represents a growing challenge for Nigerian universities in retaining top talent.
“Between 2015 and 2022, UNILAG recruited 256 first-class graduates as lecturers. By 2023, only 17 of them remain in active service,” he disclosed, describing the situation as “alarming for the nation’s higher education sector.”
The exodus, he explained, has largely been driven by low salaries, lack of motivation, and inadequate academic infrastructure. Many of the affected lecturers have sought opportunities abroad, leading to a significant brain drain that threatens UNILAG’s standing as a premier institution of higher learning.
Professor Ogundipe criticized previous government interventions, including a ₦10 million loan offered to lecturers, calling such measures insufficient to address the deeper structural issues.
“The challenges go beyond salaries. They include dilapidated facilities, insufficient research funding, and poor working environments that undermine academic productivity,” he said.
The mass departure of these highly qualified academics has raised concerns among stakeholders about the sustainability of quality education in Nigeria.
Experts warn that if urgent reforms are not implemented, Nigerian universities may face long-term consequences, including reduced postgraduate standards, diminished global competitiveness, and an increasing reliance on underqualified staff.
To address the crisis, Professor Ogundipe recommended innovative funding strategies, including public-private partnerships, alumni endowments, education bonds, and technology-driven investments to close the estimated $100 billion annual education financing gap in low-income countries. He also urged lawmakers to mandate a minimum annual allocation of ₦1 billion for first-generation universities to revitalize infrastructure and improve working conditions.
The situation at UNILAG reflects a broader issue affecting public universities nationwide, where lecturers have increasingly protested against delayed salaries, poor welfare, and underfunding. Without timely intervention from both university management and the Federal Government, the future of academic excellence in Nigeria remains uncertain.
Professor Ogundipe’s revelation has reignited discussions on the urgent need to reform Nigeria’s higher education sector to retain talent, attract researchers, and maintain the global competitiveness of its institutions.
