Lecturers at the University of Benin (UNIBEN) are facing growing financial uncertainty after receiving only 50 per cent of their August salaries. The move has caused widespread anxiety among academic staff, particularly as non-academic staff members reportedly received their full monthly remuneration.
The discrepancy in payment between the two staff categories has raised immediate questions regarding the institution’s liquidity and payroll management. While the non-academic workforce was paid in full, members of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) were left with only half of their expected earnings, a development that has triggered anxiety among affected lecturers.
The partial payment has created a sense of unease on campus, with many academics questioning the rationale behind the decision to differentiate between the two cadres of employees. As of now, the university management has not provided a formal explanation for the shortfall in academic staff payments.
Financial disparity creates tension at UNIBEN
The situation has prompted concerns about the university’s ability to meet its financial obligations to its academic workforce. In many Nigerian federal universities, salary disbursements are heavily dependent on a combination of federal government allocations and Internally Generated Revenue (IGR). When these funding streams face delays or shortages, management often struggles to satisfy total payroll requirements.
However, the decision to prioritise the full payment of non-academic staff while providing only half the wages to academic staff has been met with frustration. ASUU has historically maintained a strict position on the timely and complete payment of salaries to prevent the disruption of academic calendars through industrial action.
Lecturers on campus have expressed that the current arrangement makes it difficult to manage basic financial commitments. The atmosphere within the institution remains tense as staff members await clarity on whether the remaining balance will be paid shortly or if this reflects a longer-term budgetary issue.
This development occurs at a time when the cost of living in Nigeria continues to rise, placing additional pressure on public sector employees. Any delay or reduction in income, even if partial, carries significant consequences for the stability of teaching and research activities at the university.
The university management has yet to issue a definitive timeline for the disbursement of the outstanding August balances to the academic staff.
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