KASU Disputes ASUU’s Claim of Mass Lecturer Exodus, Cites N1bn Research Grant

Kaduna State University (KASU) has rejected claims by its Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) chapter that more than 200 lecturers have left the institution over poor working conditions.

The university described the allegation as misleading, saying movement of academic and non-academic staff between institutions was a common occurrence and should not automatically be attributed to dissatisfaction with working conditions.

The Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Abdullahi Ibrahim Musa, stated this in a statement issued on Tuesday in response to concerns raised by ASUU-KASU, which had issued a two-week ultimatum to the Kaduna State Government over the implementation of the 2025 Federal Government-ASUU agreement and other welfare issues.

Musa said the university had continued to attract and retain researchers despite the reported staff movement, citing three KASU academics who are ranked among the world’s top two per cent of scientists.

He also said the Kaduna State Government had invested more than N290 million in resource verification and accreditation of over 90 academic programmes at the university.

According to him, KASU had attracted more than £945,000 in research funding over the past three years and secured a N1 billion TETFund competitive research grant for commercial agriculture research and development.

The Vice-Chancellor further cited international partnerships involving institutions in China, Indonesia and Saudi Arabia as evidence of the university’s expanding research and academic network.

Musa said the state government had also paid inherited May 2022 salary arrears owed to university staff, settled SIWES allowances and maintained regular monthly salary payments.

He added that the government had committed more than N1 billion to student scholarships and reduced tuition fees by 50 per cent as part of efforts to improve access to higher education.

ASUU-KASU had earlier raised concerns over the reported departure of more than 200 academic staff, including professors, attributing the development to poor conditions of service and the failure to implement the 2025 FGN-ASUU agreement at the university.

The union’s chairman, Dr Abubakar Abdullahi, said the agreement, which took effect in January 2026, had yet to be implemented at KASU despite repeated engagements with the university management, Governing Council and the state government.

The union subsequently issued a two-week ultimatum, warning that failure to address its demands could lead to a total and indefinite strike.

The dispute has raised concerns over the potential impact of staff retention on teaching, postgraduate supervision, research and the stability of academic activities at the university.

However, KASU management urged the union to return to the negotiating table, reaffirming its commitment to dialogue and staff welfare.

The university said it remained committed to resolving outstanding issues in the interest of lecturers, students and the continued development of the institution.