ASUU Threatens Fresh Strike, Gives Ultimatum

The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has warned that it may resume its suspended strike if the Federal Government and state governments fail to address outstanding issues affecting university lecturers.

The union issued the warning after an emergency meeting of its National Executive Council (NEC) held on September 5, 2026, at its Festus Iyayi National Secretariat Complex at the University of Abuja.

ASUU said delays in implementing the 2025 agreement reached with the Federal Government, payment of withheld salaries and remittance of deductions from lecturers’ wages had created renewed tension across public universities.

The union said it could no longer assure uninterrupted academic activities if the financial and professional challenges facing its members remained unresolved.

According to the lecturers’ union, its members are still owed three-and-a-half months out of the seven-and-a-half months’ salaries withheld during the administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari. It noted that the current administration had so far paid four months of the outstanding salaries.

ASUU said the value of the unpaid salaries had been badly affected by the fall in the value of the naira and rising inflation since 2022, leaving lecturers with substantially reduced purchasing power.

The union also complained about the failure of authorities to remit deductions made from lecturers’ salaries for pension contributions, cooperative societies and ASUU check-off dues. It said the outstanding third-party deductions amounted to billions of naira.

ASUU argued that the situation had caused additional financial losses to its members because they had been denied access to money already deducted from their earnings as well as any returns those funds could have generated.

The union further linked the problem to the longstanding disagreement over the Integrated Personnel and Payroll Information System (IPPIS), warning that it was prepared to mobilise its members if the outstanding issues were not addressed.

It also criticised what it described as the slow and uneven implementation of the 2025 agreement by both federal and state governments.

ASUU acknowledged recent efforts by the Federal Ministry of Education to settle some salary arrears owed staff of federal universities of agriculture but said the intervention had not resolved the wider problems affecting academics.

The union said lecturers continued to face uncertainty over the payment of their salaries, with some reportedly having to approach university authorities to seek explanations for delays.

ASUU, however, praised Abia State Governor Alex Otti for announcing the adoption of the 2025 agreement and addressing delays attributed to administrative procedures.

The union also said implementation had begun in Bauchi, Ekiti, Ogun, Benue, Yobe, Adamawa, Kebbi, Katsina and Borno states.

It added that Kano, Edo, Plateau, Taraba, Gombe and Bayelsa states had indicated plans to begin implementation in September or October.

ASUU warned states that had yet to implement the agreement that continued inaction could lead to serious industrial disputes in their public universities. It said some affected institutions had already been informed that strike action could begin unless satisfactory progress was made.

The union also criticised Osun State Governor Ademola Adeleke over the extension of the tenure of the Vice-Chancellor of Osun State University, Prof. Clement Adegbooye.

Adeleke had on September 1 announced that Adegbooye’s tenure, which was due to end in January 2027, would be extended by two years to January 2029 during the inauguration of the university’s reconstituted Governing Council.

ASUU rejected the extension, arguing that the law governing the appointment provides for a single five-year tenure and does not permit an additional term.

The union accused the governor of making a rushed amendment to the law to support the extension and warned that the move could weaken university autonomy and create a precedent for political interference in state-owned universities.

ASUU also questioned Adegbooye’s acceptance of the extension, recalling his previous involvement with the union as a branch secretary at Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife.

The lecturers urged the vice-chancellor to reconsider the decision before January 2027 and said they would take legal action if attempts to reverse the extension were unsuccessful.

The union also expressed concern about the direction of government attention ahead of the 2027 general elections, arguing that political activities appeared to be taking priority over governance and workers’ welfare following the lifting of the campaign ban on August 19.

ASUU rejected claims of improving economic conditions, saying reported growth had not translated into better living standards for Nigerians.

It pointed to reduced purchasing power, higher living costs and continued difficulties in accessing healthcare, education, electricity, clean water and good roads as signs that economic growth had not brought enough improvement to citizens.

The union also backed the call by Nigeria Labour Congress President Joe Ajaero for a review of the national minimum wage, arguing that workers’ earnings had been weakened by inflation.

ASUU proposed linking the minimum wage to inflation so that workers’ salaries could be adjusted automatically as the cost of living increases.

The union said its warning of another strike was not aimed at disrupting the academic calendar but was driven by the worsening conditions faced by its members.

It called on students, parents, labour organisations, the media and other Nigerians to urge the government to resolve the outstanding issues before they trigger another shutdown of public universities.

ASUU said failure to properly implement the 2025 agreement, continued withholding of the remaining salary arrears and non-remittance of third-party deductions were threatening industrial peace in the university system.

The union therefore warned the Federal Government and state governments that it could activate its suspended strike without further notice if urgent action was not taken to resolve the disputes.