ASUU Threatens To Resume Nationwide Strike Over Unpaid Wages, Poor implementation Of 2025 Agreement
Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, is to resume its suspended nationwide strike over unpaid wages and poor implementation of its 2025 agreement with the Federal Government.
Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, is to resume its suspended nationwide strike over unpaid wages and poor implementation of its 2025 agreement with the Federal Government.
ASUU president, Christopher Piwuna, spoke in a statement on Friday in Abuja, after an emergency meeting of the National Executive Council, NEC, of the union, warning that the union could call out its members “on a nationwide strike action within the shortest time possible” if government failed to address the outstanding issues satisfactorily forthwith.
According to Piwuna, the December 2025 FGN-ASUU Agreement, achieved after over eight years of struggle, had been poorly implemented by the Federal Government and several state governments, even as the development had left lecturers uncertain about their salaries and entitlements.
ASUU president, Christopher Piwuna, spoke in a statement on Friday in Abuja, after an emergency meeting of the National Executive Council, NEC, of the union, warning that the union could call out its members “on a nationwide strike action within the shortest time possible” if government failed to address the outstanding issues satisfactorily forthwith.
According to Piwuna, the December 2025 FGN-ASUU Agreement, achieved after over eight years of struggle, had been poorly implemented by the Federal Government and several state governments, even as the development had left lecturers uncertain about their salaries and entitlements.
The ASUU President warned that failure to address the issues could trigger another nationwide industrial action.
His words, “Unless immediate and concrete steps are taken to fully and comprehensively address issues bordering on the welfare and well-being of Nigerian academics, ASUU-NEC will not accept any blame.
“We note with regrets that nothing has changed about the three-and-half months’ salaries left out of the seven-and-half months withheld by the Buhari Government since we last addressed the public...
His words, “Unless immediate and concrete steps are taken to fully and comprehensively address issues bordering on the welfare and well-being of Nigerian academics, ASUU-NEC will not accept any blame.
“We note with regrets that nothing has changed about the three-and-half months’ salaries left out of the seven-and-half months withheld by the Buhari Government since we last addressed the public...
“ASUU cannot guarantee uninterrupted academic calendar at the expense of the existential needs of our members.”
Piwuna further said that three-and-half months out of the seven-and-half months’ salaries withheld by the Buhari administration remained unpaid, despite the payment of four months by President Bola Tinubu's administration.
He also, noted that the outstanding salaries had caused severe financial and psychological hardship for lecturers, while their purchasing power had declined significantly since the salaries were earned.
Piwuna furthermore, raised concerns over billions of naira deducted from lecturers’ salaries for pensions, cooperative societies and ASUU check-off dues but allegedly not remitted for several months.
“ASUU-NEC is fully prepared to call out its members if nothing concrete is done to address this lingering problem without further delay,” he added.
The ASUU president commended Abia Gov. Alex Otti and other governors implementing the 2025 agreement, urging states yet to comply to act promptly to prevent industrial crises.
Piwuna criticised Osun Gov. Ademola Adeleke over the two-year tenure extension granted to Osun State University Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Clement Adebooye, saying it was unlawful.
He said the action could undermine university autonomy and revive unhealthy practices associated with tenure extensions, urging Adeleke to reconsider the decision.
The ASUU president also expressed support to the President of the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, Joe Ajaero’s call for immediate review of the National Minimum Wage to cushion the impact of worsening economic hardship.
He urged students, parents, labour leaders, media practitioners and other Nigerians to intervene in the brewing crisis before it escalated into another disruption of university education, adding that the union remained open to dialogue with the Federal Government and state governments.
He also, noted that the outstanding salaries had caused severe financial and psychological hardship for lecturers, while their purchasing power had declined significantly since the salaries were earned.
Piwuna furthermore, raised concerns over billions of naira deducted from lecturers’ salaries for pensions, cooperative societies and ASUU check-off dues but allegedly not remitted for several months.
“ASUU-NEC is fully prepared to call out its members if nothing concrete is done to address this lingering problem without further delay,” he added.
The ASUU president commended Abia Gov. Alex Otti and other governors implementing the 2025 agreement, urging states yet to comply to act promptly to prevent industrial crises.
Piwuna criticised Osun Gov. Ademola Adeleke over the two-year tenure extension granted to Osun State University Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Clement Adebooye, saying it was unlawful.
He said the action could undermine university autonomy and revive unhealthy practices associated with tenure extensions, urging Adeleke to reconsider the decision.
The ASUU president also expressed support to the President of the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, Joe Ajaero’s call for immediate review of the National Minimum Wage to cushion the impact of worsening economic hardship.
He urged students, parents, labour leaders, media practitioners and other Nigerians to intervene in the brewing crisis before it escalated into another disruption of university education, adding that the union remained open to dialogue with the Federal Government and state governments.
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