The management of Abia State University, Uturu, has suspended a Professor of Economics, Nnamdi Nwaeze, following social media posts in which he raised concerns about the salaries, allowances and other financial obligations owed to lecturers at the institution.
The university disclosed the suspension in a statement issued on Thursday by its Deputy Registrar and Public Relations Officer, Chijioke Nwogu. According to the institution, the decision followed concerns over social media posts attributed to the lecturer which it described as being inimical to the interests of the university and uncomplimentary to its Visitor.
Professor Nwaeze, of the Department of Economics, Faculty of Economics and Management Sciences, had published a post on Facebook on Wednesday in which he alleged that lecturers at ABSU were among the least-paid university teachers in Nigeria.
He claimed that academic staff at the university were still being paid under the 2009 Academic Staff Union of Universities–Federal Government salary structure, while deductions from their salaries were being calculated using the 2024 tax regime.
The lecturer further alleged that the 2024 ASUU-Federal Government salary structure had not been implemented at the university and that another salary structure approved in December 2025, with effect from January 1, 2026, was also yet to be implemented.
Nwaeze also alleged that some lecturers promoted between 2023 and 2026 had not received salaries corresponding to their new ranks, while some members of staff were allegedly owed salary arrears dating back as far as 44 months.
In addition, he claimed that union dues deducted from lecturers’ salaries had not been remitted to ASUU and that members of the academic staff had never received Earned Academic Allowances.
The professor further alleged that about ₦163 million in cooperative deductions was outstanding, while comparing the earnings of professors in ABSU with those in federal and other state universities.
The university management, however, did not indicate in its statement that the allegations concerning salary arrears, allowances or deductions had been established as facts. Instead, it based the suspension on concerns arising from the lecturer’s social media publications.
The development comes against the backdrop of wider concerns within Nigeria’s university system over the implementation of agreements between ASUU and government authorities, including issues relating to salaries, allowances, promotions and working conditions.
ASUU has in recent months mounted pressure on governments over the implementation of agreements and outstanding welfare issues affecting university lecturers, with branches in some institutions threatening or declaring industrial action over unresolved demands.
The ABSU development therefore places renewed attention on the importance of resolving disputes over academic staff welfare through institutional dialogue and established mechanisms, particularly where disagreements involve salaries, allowances and conditions of service.
For the university, the immediate issue is the disciplinary action against the lecturer, while the concerns raised in his posts touch on broader questions about the welfare and remuneration of academic staff.
The university community will now be watching how the matter develops, particularly whether the allegations raised by the professor will be addressed through the appropriate institutional processes.
