NEWS
ASUU Kicks Against Proposed U.K University Campus in Nigeria, Warns of ‘Re-Colonisation’ Agenda and Vows Nationwide Resistance
The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has firmly rejected the Federal Government’s plan to establish a United Kingdom university campus in Nigeria, declaring its readiness to resist the implementation of the proposal across the country.
The position of the union was made clear by its President, Chris Piwuna, who spoke on Friday in Bauchi during a public lecture organised by the Sa’adu Zungur University branch of ASUU.
Piwuna disclosed that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, during a recent state visit to the United Kingdom, entered into an agreement that includes plans to establish a Nigerian campus of Coventry University.
The ASUU president strongly criticised the move, describing it as an attempt to “re-colonise” Nigeria’s education sector. He argued that the proposed institution is grappling with financial challenges, including a £58 million deficit and a noticeable decline in enrolment from African students.
He further noted that the university is currently pursuing aggressive cost-cutting strategies projected to reach £100 million over the next two years, raising concerns about the underlying motive behind the expansion plan into Nigeria.
“They deny Nigerians visas to study abroad, yet they want to come here and take our money,” he said.
Piwuna maintained that ASUU would resist every component of the agreement that relates to the education sector, stressing that the initiative contradicts the Federal Government’s existing moratorium on the establishment of new universities.
“This will not stand. We are going to resist it,” he added.
Despite his criticism of the proposed foreign university campus, Piwuna commended the Vice-Chancellor of Sa’adu Zungur University, Professor Fatima Tahir, for implementing the new salary structure for staff, describing the decision as commendable and a step in the right direction for academic welfare.
The lecture, which centred on academic responsibility and entrepreneurship, featured presentations by Suleiman Abdullahi Karwai of the Department of Business Administration, Ahmadu Bello University, and Abubakar Sadiq Usman of the Centre for Entrepreneurship Studies, Gombe State University.
In his presentation, Karwai urged lecturers to prioritise financial independence by investing early and building 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 encouraged academics to explore opportunities such as shareholding, real estate, publishing, and consultancy, noting that many of their counterparts are already leveraging such avenues to enhance their financial stability.