Under the theme “Funding Education, health research institutions and other social services in a depressed Economy: Challenges and prospects”, the Conference heard from speakers who outlined the challenges faced by Nigerian workers in the education sector including privatisation, lack of funding and precarious work.

Professor Toye Olorode gave a public lecture warning the delegates of the dangers of the current economic model to the provision of public services and economic development. He warned of the need for Nigeria to resist private provision of education and oppose corruption.

Hi Excellency, Mr Godwin Nogheghase, Governor of Edo State officially opened the congress and praised the excellent work of NASU.

PSI Assistant General Secretary, Daniel Bertossa, attended the Congress and spoke about the effects of underfunding in the education sector, the need to protect workers from casualisation, privatisation of education in Africa and PSIs global work to make corporations pay their fair share of tax to fund public services. He urged the delegates to continue to be well organised and thanked NASU for its leadership and support in PSI.

General Secretary of NASU, Peters Adeyemi, is also the PSI Vice President for Africa and Arab Countries. In his address to the conference, he highlighted the achievement of NASU and the important work that PSI does across the African continent.

Many PSI affiliates from Nigeria attended to express their solidarity with NASU, as did many PSI international affiliates from across the continent.