The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has rejected the Federal Government’s plan to establish a United Kingdom university campus in Nigeria, pledging to oppose its implementation.
ASUU President, Chris Piwuna, made this known on Thursday in Bauchi during a public lecture organised by the Sa’adu Zungur University branch of the union.
He revealed that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, during a recent state visit to the United Kingdom, signed an agreement that includes plans to set up a Nigerian campus of Coventry University.
Piwuna criticised the initiative, describing it as an attempt to “re-colonise” Nigeria’s education sector. He argued that the institution is currently facing financial difficulties, including a £58 million deficit and declining enrolment of African students, alongside projected cost-cutting measures of up to £100 million over the next two years.
“They deny Nigerians visas to study abroad, yet they want to come here and take our money,” he said.
He maintained that ASUU would resist any part of the agreement related to education, insisting it contradicts the Federal Government’s moratorium on the establishment of new universities.
“This will not stand. We are going to resist it,” he added.
Despite his criticism, Piwuna commended the Vice-Chancellor of Sa’adu Zungur University, Fatima Tahir, for implementing the new salary structure, describing the move as commendable.
The lecture, which focused on academic responsibility and entrepreneurship, featured presentations by Suleiman Abdullahi Karwai of the Department of Business Administration at Ahmadu Bello University, and Abubakar Sadiq Usman of the Centre for Entrepreneurship Studies at Gombe State University.
In his presentation, Karwai encouraged lecturers to invest early and develop sustainable income streams alongside their academic careers.
“No lecturer should be poor. There are legitimate ventures that can complement academic work without compromising it,” he said.
He advised academics to explore opportunities such as shareholding, real estate, publishing, and consultancy, noting that many of their colleagues are already benefiting from such ventures.
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