“The mind is not a vessel to be filled, but a fire to be kindled,” wrote Plutarch centuries ago. Yet, in today’s Nigeria, that fire is being slowly suffocated by a policy that treats intellectual labour as mechanical work — the so-called “No Work, No Pay” rule imposed on university lecturers.

The “No work, no pay” policy has become the Federal Government’s go-to response to industrial action in Nigerian universities. Each time lecturers embark on strike to press for improved conditions of service or fulfilment of existing agreements, the government deploys this instrument as a deterrent. Although legally grounded, the policy is educationally counterproductive and morally unsound. It punishes symptoms rather than curing the disease.

The “No work, no pay” provision, found in Section 43 of the Trade Disputes Act, may make sense in ordinary industrial settings, but a university is not an assembly line. The work of academics cannot be measured by attendance sheets or clock-in times.

Teaching, research, and service form an inseparable continuum in the life of a lecturer. To interpret “work” narrowly as physical presence is to misrepresent the essence of scholarship. Academic labour is intellectual, creative, and unending.

A university lecturer cannot be caged or tied down like a civil servant. Lecturers are global citizens — members of an international community of scholars whose work transcends borders, cultures, and time zones. They teach, research, publish, and engage with ideas that shape humanity.

Reducing them to bureaucratic employees subject to rigid administrative control is a fundamental misunderstanding of their role. Academic freedom and global engagement are central to the mission of the university. Any policy that constrains this freedom undermines innovation, inquiry, and intellectual dignity.

The responsibilities of a lecturer extend far beyond classroom teaching.

Teaching and student support: Designing and delivering lectures, seminars, and tutorials; developing curricula; assessing student work; supervising dissertations; and providing pastoral support.

Research: Conducting original studies, publishing in peer-reviewed journals, presenting at conferences, and securing research grants to advance knowledge and institutional reputation.

Administrative and service duties: Participating in departmental meetings, committees, and governance; contributing to quality assurance and curriculum reform; managing student admissions; and engaging with the community and industry partners.

These duties are continuous. When strikes occur, the academic calendar is paused, not abandoned. Upon resumption, lecturers make up for lost time, ensuring that students complete all requirements. Hence,

“No work, no pay” does not apply in reality — the work is deferred, not denied.

Despite these immense duties, the remuneration of Nigerian university lecturers remains alarmingly low. Under the Consolidated University Academic Salary Structure (CONUASS), the maximum monthly salary for a professor at bar is about N580,000 — less than what many mid-level professionals earn in non-academic fields. Entry-level lecturers earn between ₦150,000 and N250,000 monthly.

When converted to foreign currency, a Nigerian professor earns less than $400 per month, compared to N2 million to N6 million earned by professors in Ghana, Kenya, or South Africa. In the face of inflation, fuel subsidy removal, and currency devaluation, such pay is not only inadequate but humiliating.

The result is predictable: low morale, reduced productivity, and mass migration of scholars to better-paying systems abroad. Nigeria’s universities are steadily losing their best minds — a tragedy that “No work, no pay” only worsens.

The 2022 ASUU strike offered a vivid example. Lecturers went months without pay, yet upon resumption, they completed all pending lectures, examinations, and results. The policy inflicted financial suffering but achieved no lasting peace. Instead, it deepened mistrust between the government and academics, eroding any sense of partnership.

If a lecturer eventually performs all assigned duties, what moral justification remains for withholding their salary? The law may be satisfied, but justice is not.

Ironically, those who enforce “No work, no pay” are seldom held accountable when they fail in their own responsibilities. When public officials mismanage funds or neglect policies, their salaries remain intact. Accountability in Nigeria often applies only to educators — those least responsible for the nation’s systemic failures.

If Nigeria seeks genuine stability in its university system, it must shift from coercion to collaboration. Sustainable reform requires:
Institutionalised dialogue: A permanent platform for engagement between government and academic unions.

Respect for agreements: Timely and sincere implementation of signed memoranda.

University autonomy: Greater financial and administrative independence to encourage innovation.

Fair compensation: A realistic review of the CONUASS to reflect economic realities.

Mutual accountability: Apply standards of performance equally to public officials and academics alike.

The “No work, no pay” policy may satisfy bureaucratic procedure, but it violates the spirit of scholarship. Education cannot thrive under intimidation. Lecturers are not adversaries of the state; they are its builders and guides.

A nation that impoverishes its teachers undermines its future. Nigeria must learn that intellectual labour cannot be chained, and scholars cannot be caged. Lecturers are global citizens who belong to a borderless world of thought, and a government that fails to honour them is, ultimately, dishonouring itself.

A nation that cages its scholars cannot soar.

Professor Oluwole is the Director, Career Development and Counselling Centre, University of Ibadan.