Tinubu’s 2025 Education Allocation: Why ASUU Is Unhappy with 7%
The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has expressed strong disapproval of the Nigerian government’s allocation of 7% to the education sector in the 2025 budget. This allocation amounts to approximately N3.52 trillion, which ASUU argues is significantly below the recommended 15%-20% benchmark for underdeveloped countries, as specified by both UNESCO and the United Nations Fund for Population Activities (UNFPA).
ASUU President, Professor Emmanuel Osodeke, emphasized that this insufficient funding is detrimental to the quality of education in Nigeria. He noted that the inadequate budget allocation has led to the proliferation of private schools, many of which are financially inaccessible to the majority of Nigerians due to high fees.
In addition to concerns about the education budget, ASUU criticized President Bola Tinubu’s proposal to eliminate the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) under the tax administration bill.
TETFund has been a major source of infrastructural funding for public tertiary institutions since its establishment in 2011. The proposed policy change, which aims to replace the education tax with a “development levy,” is viewed by ASUU as a threat to the funding of university infrastructure.
ASUU has called on the government to prioritize the welfare of workers in the education sector and to address the erosion of conditions of service for lecturers.
The union also demands the immediate payment of withheld salaries and third-party deductions owed to its members, as well as the release of Earned Academic Allowances and funding for the revitalization of universities in accordance with previous agreements.
About the Author
