Lecturers at Nigeria’s National Mathematical Centre (NMC) have decried their exclusion from a ₦50 billion Earned Academic Allowance (EAA) fund released by the Federal Government for university workers, demanding immediate redress.
The protest, led by the NMC chapter of the Congress of University Academics (CONUA), was formalised in a letter to Minister of Education Dr Tunji Alausa. The group insists that NMC academic staff are entitled to the allowance, which was recently allocated to be shared between academic and non-academic staff of federal universities.
Signed by CONUA-NMC Chair Awogbemi Adeyeye and Secretary Okorie Okike, the letter argues that despite being an inter-university centre with academic responsibilities equivalent to those in conventional universities, NMC staff have consistently been excluded from critical entitlements, including the EAAs, since 2013.
“NMC plays a pivotal role in advancing mathematical education nationwide,” the letter stated. “Our staff conduct postgraduate training and serve as resource persons for universities throughout Nigeria. This qualifies them for the same allowances extended to university lecturers.”
The group also cited a memorandum from the National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission, which they said confirmed their eligibility for the allowances under the 2009 ASUU-Federal Government agreement.
In addition to the earned allowances, CONUA-NMC is demanding payment of other due benefits, including field trip stipends, SIWES (Student Industrial Work Experience Scheme) allowances, postgraduate study grants, and hazard pay. The group highlighted the disparity in current hazard allowance disbursements, noting that non-academic staff at the centre already receive such compensation.
They appealed to the education minister to intervene and ensure academic staff at NMC receive fair and equal treatment. “We are confident in your reputation for fairness and urge you to correct this injustice in the interest of national development,” the statement concluded.
