ASUU Raises Fresh Strike Alarm Over Unpaid Salaries: ‘We Cannot Predict What Comes Next’
- ASUU has raised fresh strike concerns and warned of possible industrial unrest over unpaid salaries and unmet terms of the 2025 agreement
- The union accused the Federal Government of politicising the agreement and delaying key components of its implementation
- ASUU leaders insisted that unresolved funding issues and delayed payments could disrupt academic stability nationwide
Months after the 2025 agreement between the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) and the federal government was signed, university lecturers have accused the government of victimising its members.
Source: Original
The Ibadan Zonal leadership of ASUU, led by Prof. Biodun Olaniran, made the allegation while addressing journalists in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, on Thursday, May 21. Legit.ng was present at the press conference.
Speaking at the Faculty of Nursing Auditorium, University of Ibadan, Olaniran accused the federal government of lacking sincerity in implementing the agreement, saying ASUU members had become victims of the government’s negligence.
The union also warned that it could not predict what may follow the continued non-implementation of the agreement signed in late 2025.
ASUU accuses FG of ‘weaponising poverty’ against lecturers
He added that it was becoming obvious that President Bola Tinubu’s administration had little regard for honouring the agreement reached with ASUU.
“It is becoming clear that the Tinubu-led administration is not showing enough sincerity in addressing the crisis in Nigeria’s tertiary education sector."
“The non-implementation of the 2025 FGN-ASUU agreement is an invitation to industrial unrest in the Nigerian universities. Despite the efforts of the Union to continue to keep the universities open for our students, the inaction of the FGN towards the full implementation of the agreement reached with the Union could jeopardise the peace and industrial harmony in our universities.”
"No nation can grow higher than the level of its intellectuals, withholding lecturers’ salaries on account of a strike orchestrated by negligence on the side of the Government; this is tantamount to weaponisation of poverty and a troubling breach of the Labour Act," he said.
Union faults FG over incomplete agreement implementation
Speaking on the level of implementation of the agreement, ASUU Ibadan Zonal Coordinator reiterated that after the agreement was signed, the Government has not committed to the financial implementation of the agreement.
He said the financial implementation is very limited to the Consolidated Academic Tool Allowance (CATA) and Professorial Allowance (PA), without addressing the other components.
“Since the government signed the agreement, it has only implemented to varying degrees the financial components, such as Consolidated Academic Tool Allowances (CATA) and Professorial Allowances (PA), but has left out components like Earned Academic Allowances (EAA) unattended. As of today, both the States and Federal governments currently have not paid several components of the agreement for up to four (4) months.”
ASUU lamented that the government had only directed councils of federal universities to pay CATA and PA from their internally generated revenue (IGR), but many institutions have low IGR to sustain the payments.
He cited Modibbo Adama University, which reportedly announced that CATA payments would stop from May 2026 due to funding constraints.
Legit.ng also gathered that Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, has suspended CATA payments after settling January 2026 entitlements.
Source: Twitter
ASUU alleges politicisation of university agreement
Prof Olaniran, however, alleged that the Minister of Education is only good at making politics out of the ASUU-FG agreement, especially as a campaign instrument for President Bola Tinubu.
“The Minister of Education, Dr Maruf Tunji Alausa, has turned the signed agreement into a political campaign while paying less attention to how to genuinely resolve the underlying issues that will "effectively bring lasting solutions to the lingering implementation crisis.”
“Furthermore, the Union observed that the Federal government has also failed to inaugurate the Implementation Monitoring Committee (IMC) that is expected to shield the agreement from bureaucratic bottlenecks and give room for smooth implementation and actualisation of the signed agreement.”
Union signals possible nationwide industrial action
Speaking in the same direction as Prof Olaniran, ASUU Chairman, Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, Ogbomoso, Professor Olujimi Dada said ASUU should not be blamed if there is any industrial action in the universities across the country.
"ASUU cannot predict the aftermath of this press conference. The onus is now on the Federal Government to do the needful by providing proper funding for education."
Contributing to the discussion was former ASUU Chair at the University of Ibadan, Prof. Ademola Aremu, who decried what he described as undue government interference in the employment processes of public universities.
He noted that recruitment in some institutions is mandated by the government rather than based on institutional autonomy.
ASUU listed the outstanding issues as unremitted third-party deductions, 25%/35% wage awards, promotion arrears, and withheld three-and-a-half months’ salaries from the 2022 strike. It described the withholding of deductions such as pensions, cooperative and union check-off fees as “illegal and wicked.”
The union said its members had sacrificed their annual leave to ensure students graduate on schedule.
When lecturers declare a strike, only one leg of their statutory duties (teaching) is affected; the remaining two (research and community service) continue unabated. It is therefore laughable that up till now these issues have not been addressed, even after the grounds lost during the strike had been covered satisfactorily.
ASUU threatens indefinite strike in four universities
The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) in the Calabar zone has threatened an indefinite strike over unresolved welfare, salary, and funding issues affecting four state-owned universities. The union warned that academic activities could be completely disrupted if the situation remains unchanged.
The affected institutions include Abia State University, Akwa Ibom State University, Ebonyi State University, and the University of Cross River State.
Source: Legit.ng
Ololade Olatimehin (Editorial Assistant) Olatimehin Ololade is a seasoned communications expert with over 7 years of experience, skilled in content creation, team leadership, and strategic communications, with a proven track record of success in driving engagement and growth. Spearheaded editorial operations, earning two promotions within 2 years (Giantability Media Network). Currently an Editorial Assistant at Legit.ng. She holds a B.Sc. and an M.Sc. in Mass Communication from UNILAG and NOUN, respectively. Contact me at Olatimehin.ololade@corp.legit.ng
Ridwan Kolawole (Oyo State Correspondent) Oyo state's regional correspondent Ridwan Kolawole has over a decade of journalism practice, covering politics, crimes/conflict, education, and social issues. For passion and knowledge mobilisation, Ridwan practices journalism and teaches it at the University of Ibadan.
