Brain drain looms as African academics battle poor pay, says S/African don
By Muizdeen Adewole
A Research Professor of Law at the North-West University, South Africa, Prof. Avitus Agbor Agbor, has warned that poor remuneration and weak institutional support are fueling brain drain and threatening the stability of universities across Africa.
He gave the warning during the Monthly Colloquium Series of the Association of West Africa Universities (AWAU) held penultimate Saturday (August 8, 2026).
In his presentation, titled “Academia in the Current Socio-Economic and Political Contexts: Re-evaluating Lessons, Challenges and Opportunities for Growth Within and Outside National Borders”, Prof. Agbor observed that universities, particularly in the Global South, have gradually drifted from their original mandate of generating knowledge through scientific research.
He noted that while teaching, learning and community engagement are now additional responsibilities shouldered by many institutions, the true measure of professional growth and excellence today is determined by the quality, relevance, consistency and international visibility of research.
The don identified poor pay as one of the most pressing challenges driving academics away from the continent. He said salaries for academics in Nigeria, from Lecturer II to Professor, remain meager and uncompetitive, and in many cases are paid irregularly. This, he added, leaves scholars unable to commit fully to the core functions of the university.
To illustrate the disparity, Prof. Agbor compared the situation with South Africa, where, according to him, professors of Law earn a net monthly salary ranging from ZAR 60,000 to ZAR 100,000, with performance bonuses and allowances that can match their basic pay.
He argued that when pay fails to match economic realities, institutional stability deteriorates. The result, he said, is brain drain, high turnover, burnout, and a decline in both teaching quality and research output.
According to him, fair and predictable pay frees academics from financial worry, enhances motivation, reduces strikes and campus closures, and helps institutions retain top-tier scholars.
Beyond salaries, Prof. Agbor also spoke on the need for transparent and efficient promotion policies that facilitate professional growth within defined timeframes. He said promotion processes should be benchmarked against other institutions within and outside the country, with clear administrative procedures and an appeals system that allows unsuccessful candidates to seek reconsideration.
Describing promotions as critical to both remuneration and institutional reputation, Prof. Agbor noted that a faculty with more senior academics gains greater research visibility. He added that academics are psychologically encouraged to stay where hard work is recognised. He recommended quarterly or semesterly promotions for junior positions and annual promotions for senior ranks, and urged that criteria be discussed openly with academics by university administrators.
On international competitiveness, the legal scholar said institutions must deliberately support academics to achieve visibility beyond national borders. This, he explained, includes maintaining presence on research platforms such as Google Scholar, Scopus and ResearchGate, pursuing collaborations with peers in the Global North, and publishing in internationally reputable peer-reviewed journals.
Prof. Agbor cautioned against the practice of relying on in-house journals where the independence of peer review is doubtful, and called for a shift from quantity to quality so that scholarship adds real value to the body of knowledge. Recruiting international students for intellectual and cultural diversity, and organising regular workshops to guide scholars on indicators of excellence, were also part of his recommendations.
The don further emphasised that universities must provide the necessary structure for research to thrive. These include competitive salaries to retain talent, clear sabbatical leave policies, encouragement and support for doctoral qualifications, and opportunities for collaboration across borders.
He posed a fundamental question to university leadership on how institutions can motivate academics, support their professional growth, ensure international visibility, and make them competitive with their counterparts abroad, while also resisting offers from institutions in the Global North.
Concluding, he said that although salaries are a reflection of national economies, there is no justification for the poor pay given to academics considering their role in nation-building. According to him, if universities truly appreciate the work of academics, they must provide them with the financial resources to live with dignity and independence.
