Politics

Politicians Spend Millions While Professors Can’t Fill Their Tanks With One Month Salary – Pat Utomi

Published October 7, 2026 at 10:09 AM

By Justina Otio

Key Takeaways

Political economy professor, Pat Utomi, said many Nigerian university professors earn less than ₦500,000 monthly, leaving them unable to fill their car tanks with one month salary.
Utomi wrote on 𝕏 that about 70% of Nigerians earn under ₦100,000 monthly, while rising prices and ₦150,000 to ₦200,000 power costs strain households.
Utomi said he watched primary elections where politicians spent millions of naira, and he questioned how they get such money as academics struggle.

Political economy professor Pat Utomi has claimed that Nigerian professors earn less than ₦500,000.

Utomi lamented the poor remuneration of university professors, adding that politicians are spending millions of naira.

Naija News reports that he shared his reservations in a post on 𝕏.

He also decried that 70% of Nigerians do not earn more than ₦100,000 in an economy where the prices of everything had increased significantly.

Utomi questioned why politicians should have enough money to splurge while professors can’t fill their tank with one month salary.

“Some of us in Nigeria earn less than ₦100,000 a month. That takes nearly two and a half times to fill the tank of my car, and I’m asking myself, is it possible that people even need to think of it?

“How much does a university professor earn in this country? Some work for government universities. They earn probably, at best, ₦500,000 a month.

“They probably live in an area where power will take up ₦150,000 or ₦200,000 of that money. How is it possible that people are still alive and going?

“Yet, I watched primary elections and saw politicians spending millions of naira. 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?” he asked.

Author:

Justina Otio

Justina is a passionate storyteller and avid reader. Beyond the newsroom, she's a strategic content marketer and lifelong learner who loves diving into topics far outside her field. Contact: [email protected]