ASUU Warns of Fresh Strike

The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has raised the alarm over a possible fresh industrial action in Nigeria’s public universities, warning that the system may again be disrupted if both the Federal Government and state governments fail to fully implement the December 2025 agreement reached with the union.

This warning followed deliberations at ASUU’s National Executive Council (NEC) meeting held at Modibbo Adama University, Yola, between May 9 and 10, 2026, where the union expressed strong dissatisfaction with what it described as a “distorted and uncoordinated” implementation of the agreement.

In a statement issued on Monday by ASUU President, Chris Piwuna, the union noted that it had maintained what it called a “studied silence” since the agreement was signed and publicly presented in January 2026.

According to the statement, the NEC meeting was convened to review the implementation process and other unresolved issues affecting members of the union.

ASUU warned that the momentum generated by the unveiling of the 2025 FGN-ASUU Agreement on January 14, 2026, was “fast waning” and could be lost if the government failed to fully honour its commitments.

The union recalled that in March 2026, the Minister of Education, Tunji Alausa, had declared at a public event in Lagos that strikes in tertiary institutions were a thing of the past, assuring that universities and polytechnics would remain open.

However, ASUU insisted that recent developments contradicted that position, blaming the situation on the failure to inaugurate the Implementation Monitoring Committee meant to ensure proper execution of the agreement.

The union further alleged that both federal and state authorities had been implementing the agreement in a “distorted and uncoordinated manner,” while only a few state governments had complied substantially.

It also accused federal university administrators of selective implementation of key components such as Consolidated Academic Allowances, Earned Academic Allowances, and Professorial Allowances, arguing that these were supposed to be integrated into the Consolidated Academic Salary Structure.

ASUU also criticised some state governments for allegedly disregarding the agreement despite being part of the negotiation process, reaffirming its commitment to securing the full benefits of what it described as an eight-year negotiation process spanning 2017 to 2025.

On policy matters, the union faulted the Federal Government’s proposed National Research Council and the Minister of Education’s plan for a National Research and Innovation Development Fund, stating that both were not in line with the provisions of the 2025 agreement.

It insisted that the agreement provides for at least 1 per cent of GDP to be allocated to research, innovation, and development, while questioning the proposed $500 million funding structure and its source, raising concerns over possible external borrowing.

ASUU also listed several unresolved welfare issues, including salary arrears, promotion arrears, unremitted deductions, salary shortfalls under the Integrated Personnel and Payroll Information System (IPPIS), and withheld salaries from the 2022 strike action.

The union further expressed concern over delays in pension payments for retired lecturers, particularly in state-owned universities, while accusing the National Pension Commission of slowing down the harmonisation of benefits for retirees.