Photo Credit: The Sun Nigeria / ASUU
ASUU Issues Fresh Strike Warning Over Unpaid Salaries, Breach of Agreement
The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has threatened to resume its suspended nationwide strike, accusing the Federal Government and some state governments of failing to implement the December 2025 agreement.

In a statement signed by its National President, Prof. Chris Piwuna, on Friday, the union said it may resume the industrial action without further notice if its demands are not urgently met.

Prof. Piwuna said the decision was taken after an emergency National Executive Council (NEC) meeting held on September 5, 2026. He warned that the union should not be blamed for the consequences if another strike becomes inevitable.

According to ASUU, implementation of the 2025 agreement — which came after over eight years of negotiations — has been poor. Outstanding issues include three-and-a-half months of withheld salaries from the seven-and-a-half months withheld under the previous administration, unremitted pension and third-party deductions, violation of university autonomy, and poor welfare for academics.

The union noted that while the Federal Ministry of Education had made efforts to pay outstanding salaries in some Federal Universities of Agriculture, lecturers still face uncertainty over monthly salary payments.

ASUU however commended some state governors who have started implementing the agreement. It specifically praised Abia State Governor, Alex Otti, for announcing full adoption of the agreement and apologising for bureaucratic delays.

Other states where implementation has commenced include Bauchi, Ekiti, Ogun, Benue, Yobe, Adamawa, Kebbi, Katsina and Borno. The union said governors of Kano, Edo, Plateau, Taraba, Gombe and Bayelsa have pledged to begin implementation in September or October.

The union warned that failure by other state governments to implement the agreement could trigger industrial crises in state-owned universities.

ASUU also condemned the Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, for extending the tenure of the Vice-Chancellor of Osun State University (UNIOSUN), Prof. Clement Adebooye, by two years. The governor had announced the extension on September 1, 2026, during the inauguration of the university’s Governing Council.

The union described the extension as a violation of the UNIOSUN law which provides for a single five-year tenure for Vice-Chancellors without provision for extension.
Source: The Sun Nigeria