ASUU Proposed N2m Monthly Pay for Professors,” – FG Source Explains Why Briggs Report Was Rejected

Alleged Salary Proposal

The Briggs Committee, which was tasked with renegotiating the conditions of service and pay structure for university staff with ASUU and other unions, reportedly recommended a salary increase of about 180% for lecturers. This proposal would have placed the annual earnings of a professor at around ₦19.5 million base pay, and with allowances, up to about ₦23 million per year — roughly ₦2 million per month.

The reported allowances included various items such as postgraduate supervision, field trip, hazard allowance, examination allowances, and several other fringe benefits that, when added together, pushed the total compensation figure far beyond what government planners considered affordable.

Government’s Rejection

Sources within the Ministry of Finance and the Presidential Committee on Salaries and Wages argued that:

The Briggs Committee’s processes excluded key government agencies and MDAs — such as the Ministries of Finance, Labour and Employment, Budget Office of the Federation, Office of the Head of Service, and the National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission — which are critical for assessing the economic and fiscal implications of national wage formulations.
As a result, the report was considered non-inclusive and unrealistic, failing to account for the broader financial constraints of the Federal Government.
Government sources said the committee was seen as having “connived with ASUU” in making a proposal that could not be sustained within Nigeria’s fiscal realities.

Need for Inclusive Review

Following the rejection of the Briggs report, government sources indicated that the Presidential Committee on Salaries was directed to develop a holistic and integrated wage review covering all educational sectors — including universities, polytechnics, and colleges of education — ensuring equitable consideration of both academic and non-academic staff across the board.

FAQs — ASUU, Briggs Report and Salary Proposals

Did ASUU actually propose that professors be paid about ₦2 million per month?
According to government sources discussing the Briggs Committee’s recommendations, the committee’s proposed salary and allowance structure for professors would have resulted in professors earning up to about N23 million per year — roughly ₦2 million per month.

Why was the Briggs Committee report rejected by the Federal Government?
It was rejected because it was seen as one-sided, impractical, and financially unsustainable, having excluded key ministries and agencies needed to properly vet wage and allowance increases.

Who was excluded from the negotiations that should have been included?
Relevant groups such as the Ministries of Finance, Budget Office of the Federation, Labour and Employment, Office of the Head of Service, and the National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission were reportedly excluded, limiting the committee’s ability to propose fiscally sound recommendations.

Did the Briggs Committee only make proposals for university lecturers?
The committee recommended a disproportionately high pay increase for university lecturers (about 180%) while suggesting a comparatively modest increase (about 10%) for non-teaching staff, leading to concerns about equity.

What is the government doing now about salaries for university staff?
Following the rejection of the Briggs report, the Federal Government mandated a more inclusive wage review, aiming to develop a balanced salary structure for all educational sector workers, and has since implemented elements of a revised agreement covering allowances and salary structures.