The Academic Staff Union of Universities has rejected the education agreements recently reached between the Federal Government of Nigeria and the United Kingdom, particularly the plan to establish a Coventry University campus in the country.

ASUU President, Prof Christopher Piwuna, speaking at a public lecture organised by the Sa’adu Zungur University branch of the union, said the proposal was unacceptable and warned that it could further weaken Nigeria’s already fragile university system.

Piwuna argued that the arrangement reflects a new form of educational colonialism. He noted that while Nigerian students increasingly face visa restrictions and tighter immigration rules when seeking to study in the UK, British universities are being encouraged to move into Nigeria to tap local demand and resources.

According to him, the push by foreign universities to set up campuses in Nigeria is driven partly by financial pressures and declining international student enrolment in their home countries. Allowing such institutions to dominate the local space, he warned, would divert scarce funds away from Nigerian public universities and entrench dependency on foreign providers.

Piwuna insisted that government policy should focus on revitalising domestic universities through adequate funding, improved infrastructure, and better conditions of service for academic staff, rather than opening the door to foreign competitors. Strengthening Nigerian institutions from within, he said, is essential to safeguarding academic standards, research capacity, and national development.

The ASUU president also cautioned against governance reforms that concentrate excessive powers in the hands of vice-chancellors. He defended the traditional committee system as a safeguard for transparency, collective decision-making, and institutional autonomy, warning that its erosion could undermine university democracy and accountability.

On welfare issues, Piwuna issued a four-day ultimatum to the Federal Government to implement the new salary structure earlier agreed with the union. He said lecturers would not continue to wait indefinitely and warned that failure to act would provoke a firm response from ASUU.

In her remarks at the event, the Vice-Chancellor of Sa’adu Zungur University, Prof Fatima Tahir, reaffirmed the institution’s commitment to staff welfare and productivity. She said the university had taken steps to honour agreements with the government and ensure that its ASUU branch was not left with outstanding financial obligations.

Tahir urged academic staff to match management’s efforts with renewed dedication to teaching, research, and community service, stressing that staff welfare must go hand in hand with the long-term sustainability and integrity of the university system.