ASUU President Warns of Deep Crisis Due to Academic Migration

Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) issued a stark warning, stating that Nigeria is currently facing a significant crisis due to the mass migration of academics to other countries. The union highlighted the urgent need for increased investment in the education system to address this concerning trend.

ASUU President, Prof. Emmanuel Osodeke, emphasized the necessity of separating the budget of the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) from Nigeria's annual budget. This, he argued, would facilitate more effective implementation and contribute to the improvement of the education sector. Osodeke expressed particular concern about the unexpected inclusion of TETFund's budget in the national budget, stating that "once TETFund’s budget is included in the national budget, it is finished."

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In his address at the TETFund Alliance for Innovative Research event in Abuja, Osodeke urged Nigerians to confront inferiority complexes that lead to dependence on foreign services. He stressed the importance of utilizing local talent and ideas, particularly from universities, for the development of the country.

The ASUU president also criticized the persistent preference for foreign goods and services by Nigerians, even when local alternatives are available. He cited an example from 2020 when ASUU was challenged to produce a system better than IPPIS, and within two months, they developed UTA, an alternative. However, the Nigerian government opted for IPPIS, paying a foreign company $40 annually for salary payments.

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Osodeke voiced his concern about the departure of Nigeria's best brains, both in academics and medicine, and called for immediate action to retain talent. He urged authorities to ensure that allocated funds for universities are utilized within the institutions to address the current crisis.

The report also covered remarks from other key figures, including the Minister of Labour, Simon Lalong, who commended the TETFAIR project for promoting innovation, and TETFund's Executive Secretary, Arc Sonny Echono, who highlighted the agency's efforts to support researchers and bring innovative ideas to fruition.

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The Minister of State for Education, Hon Yusuf Sununu, emphasized the importance of protecting copyright ownership for innovators and called for increased collaboration between academia, industry, and other stakeholders to enhance the marketability of products resulting from research.

In conclusion, Princess Miriam Onouha, Chair of the House Committee on Tertiary Education, expressed satisfaction with the level of research efforts put together by Nigerian academics through TETFund's partnership with Innov8 Hub under the TETFAIR scheme. She expressed hope that the gains made in the project would contribute to addressing unemployment in the country. The report concluded with copyright information and contact details.