By Faith Eze
ASUU Threatens Fresh Nationwide Strike Over Unpaid Salaries and Unfulfilled Promises
The Academic Staff Union of Universities, widely known as ASUU, has issued a stern warning to both the federal and state governments of Nigeria regarding a potential nationwide strike. The union announced that it may reactivate its suspended industrial action without any further notice if the authorities fail to urgently address long-standing grievances. These concerns include unpaid salary balances, unremitted third-party deductions, and the incomplete implementation of formal agreements designed to improve university education across the country.
This development follows an emergency meeting held by the National Executive Council of the union at the University of Abuja. During the meeting, university lecturers reviewed the level of compliance by governments at various levels regarding past commitments. The union expressed deep disappointment over the slow pace of action by official authorities, warning that the continuous neglect of academic staff welfare threatens to plunge the Nigerian public university system into another prolonged disruption.
A major point of contention is the issue of withheld salaries. While the union acknowledged that the federal government led by President Bola Tinubu previously released four months of salaries withheld during past industrial disputes, a balance of three and a half months remains unpaid. ASUU maintained that leaving this balance outstanding undermines goodwill and deprives the administration of being seen as fully supportive of academic workers. The union emphasized that lecturers made extraordinary efforts to cover lost academic time once previous strikes were called off, making the refusal to pay the remaining balance unjustifiable.
In addition to withheld salaries, the union highlighted the non-remittance of key financial deductions. Deductions meant for cooperative societies, pension contributions, and union check-off dues, totaling billions of Naira, have reportedly been withheld for several months after being deducted from members' monthly paychecks. This situation has created financial hardship for university workers and strained the operations of staff welfare schemes across various campuses.
Another critical issue raised by the union is the poor implementation of the agreement reached between the Federal Government and ASUU in December 2025. The agreement was finalized after years of intense negotiations and was intended to establish industrial harmony, improve funding for public universities, and adjust staff remuneration to reflect economic realities. However, ASUU noted that while a few state governments have made commendable efforts to begin implementing the agreement, many federal and state university authorities continue to struggle or outrightly fail to fulfill their commitments.
The union praised specific state governors who have taken proactive steps toward implementing the agreement, citing states such as Abia, Bauchi, Ekiti, Ogun, Benue, Yobe, Adamawa, Kebbi, Katsina, and Borno. It also acknowledged assurances from states like Kano, Edo, Plateau, Taraba, Gombe, and Bayelsa to begin implementation in the near future. However, ASUU warned that universities in states that refuse to act face an impending industrial crisis of major proportions.
Recent weeks have already seen localized actions taking place at individual branches across the country. For instance, academic staff at Nnamdi Azikiwe University in Awka withdrew their services following delays in receiving full salary payments. Similar tensions and strike threats have surfaced in state institutions such as Sokoto State University and Nasarawa State University over unpaid entitlements and arrears. ASUU stated that these local disruptions are clear warning signs of what could turn into a full-scale nationwide stoppage if the central issues are not settled.
The union firmly placed the responsibility for any upcoming disruption on the government authorities. It urged parents, students, and the general public to understand that industrial action remains the union's last resort to protect the public university system and secure fair treatment for its workforce. ASUU stressed that it would not accept blame for shutting down campuses if the federal and state governments fail to take immediate and concrete steps to resolve all outstanding welfare and policy matters.
As fear grows over another potential shutdown of public higher education, students and educational stakeholders across Nigeria are calling on government officials to intervene quickly. Timely dialogue and the immediate settlement of earned allowances, salary balances, and statutory deductions remain essential to keeping university lecture halls open and preserving academic stability.