ASUU Threatens Fresh Industrial Action Over Unpaid Salaries, 2025 Agreement
ASUU Threatens Fresh Industrial Action Over Unpaid Salaries, 2025 Agreement
The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has threatened fresh industrial action over the Federal Government’s failure to pay outstanding lecturers’ salaries and fully implement the December 2025 agreement between the union and government.
The warning followed ASUU’s National Executive Council (NEC) meeting held at the University of Abuja, Giri, on August 8 and 9, 2026, where the union reviewed developments affecting education, labour, the economy, politics and national security.
A major concern raised by the union was the outstanding balance of three-and-a-half months’ salaries withheld from lecturers following the 2022 nationwide ASUU strike. ASUU said it had initially welcomed President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s decision to pay four of the seven-and-a-half months’ withheld salaries inherited from the previous administration, but expressed disappointment that the remaining three-and-a-half months had not been paid.
The union said the continued withholding of the balance amounted to a failure to recognise the sacrifices made by academics during the period, warning that the situation was placing additional pressure on university lecturers already operating under difficult socio-economic conditions.
ASUU also raised concern over delays in the payment of the 25/35 per cent wage award and promotion arrears owed to its members. It called on the Federal Government and affected state governments to urgently settle the outstanding entitlements, warning that members’ patience was wearing thin.
On the implementation of the December 2025 FGN-ASUU Agreement, the union expressed concern over what it described as inadequate implementation by both federal and state governments. ASUU said the slow pace of implementation was creating conditions capable of triggering renewed unrest across Nigerian universities.
The union disclosed that its NEC had authorised affected branches in several federal and state universities to embark on varying degrees of industrial action to press their demands. Among the institutions listed were Nasarawa State University, Keffi; Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida University, Lapai; University of Medical Sciences, Ondo; Gombe State University; Plateau State University; Adekunle Ajasin University; Ambrose Alli University; Olusegun Agagu University of Science and Technology; Abia State University; University of Education and Entrepreneurship; Aliko Dangote University of Science and Technology; Northwest University Kano; Enugu State University of Science and Technology; Imo State University; Niger Delta University; University of Africa, Toru-Orua; Bayelsa Medical University; and Taraba State University.
ASUU further accused some state university authorities of frustrating the implementation of the agreement and alleged that some Vice-Chancellors had resorted to victimising union leaders. The union warned that it would not call off industrial action in affected institutions until what it described as victimisation of its members was stopped.
The union also criticised delays by the Federal Ministry of Finance and the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation in releasing funds for salaries and other obligations. It said delayed payment of promotion arrears and salaries, alongside unresolved pension-related issues, was worsening industrial tension within the university system.
ASUU President, Professor Christopher G. Piwuna, said the union would continue to use legitimate means to enforce the implementation of the agreement, adding that NEC would hold another emergency meeting in the coming weeks to review the implementation of the FGN-ASUU Agreement and determine the way forward.
The union also expressed concern over the conversion of non-academic staff into academic positions without what it described as due process. It called on Vice-Chancellors and the National Universities Commission to ensure that academic appointments and conversions comply with established standards.
On TETFund, ASUU rejected the classification of some public universities as “tenable” and others as “non-tenable” for postgraduate training opportunities, describing the policy as discriminatory. The union urged TETFund to focus on strengthening all public universities rather than determining which institutions Nigerian academics should attend.
Beyond the university system, ASUU expressed concern over Nigeria’s political and socio-economic situation ahead of the 2027 elections. It warned about political violence, insecurity, corruption, unemployment, poverty and declining public trust in government.
The union called on the Federal, State and Local Governments to prioritise education, healthcare, agriculture, industrial production, research and social protection, while strengthening transparency and accountability in the management of public resources.
ASUU said urgent action was required to address the challenges confronting Nigerian universities and implement all outstanding issues arising from the December 2025 FGN-ASUU Agreement, warning that failure to do so could further destabilise the university system.
