Professors Earn Under N500k While Politicians Spend Millions on Primaries - Utomi
Political Economy professor Pat Utomi has criticized Nigeria's compensation imbalance, stating university professors earn less than N500,000 monthly while politicians spend millions on party primaries. Speaking in a video on his verified X handle on October 7, 2026, Utomi noted that 70% of Nigerians earn under N100,000 in an economy where prices have risen significantly.
He questioned how professors can survive when power bills alone might consume N150,000-N200,000 of their salary, yet politicians have millions for primary elections. Utomi gave the example that filling his car tank takes nearly two and a half times a professor's monthly salary, asking: "How can they have all that money when professors can't even fill a tank with their entire month's salary? What's going on?"
This stark contrast between educator pay and political spending highlights Nigeria's misplaced priorities in an economy where most citizens struggle with basic costs. With professors shaping future leaders but earning less than what politicians spend on single elections, what does this say about Nigeria's investment in its intellectual capital versus political processes? Should compensation reflect societal value more closely?