By Taibat Ummi Yakubu
The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has raised fresh concerns over the possibility of another nationwide industrial action, warning that Nigerian universities could face renewed disruption if lingering salary and welfare issues affecting lecturers are not urgently resolved.
The warning followed an emergency meeting of the union’s National Executive Council (NEC), where members reviewed the implementation of the 2025 agreement reached with the Federal Government after years of negotiations and industrial disputes.
Addressing journalists in Abuja on Friday, ASUU President, Prof. Christopher Piwuna, accused both the Federal Government and some state governments of failing to faithfully implement key provisions of the December 2025 agreement, despite expectations that the deal would bring lasting stability to the university system.
According to him, the slow pace of implementation has deepened frustration among academics nationwide and raised fresh doubts about the government's commitment to improving the welfare of university lecturers.
Piwuna warned that unless urgent and practical measures are taken to address outstanding concerns, the union may have no option but to reactivate its suspended strike.
He said ASUU would not accept responsibility for any disruption to the academic calendar if governments failed to honour their obligations to university workers.
The union leader revealed that three-and-a-half months of salaries withheld during the administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari remain unpaid, despite the payment of four months by the administration of President Bola Tinubu.
He expressed disappointment that the unresolved salary arrears have remained outstanding months after previous engagements with government officials, describing the situation as a major source of hardship for lecturers across the country.
According to Piwuna, many university workers have continued to battle severe financial difficulties as inflation and economic pressures erode the value of earnings that should have been paid years ago.
He argued that the prolonged delay in settling the outstanding salaries has not only affected the economic wellbeing of lecturers but has also created significant psychological stress among members.
Beyond the salary issue, ASUU also raised alarm over deductions made from lecturers’ earnings for pension contributions, cooperative societies and union check-off dues, alleging that billions of naira have not been remitted to the appropriate bodies for several months.
The union described the situation as unacceptable and warned that continued delays could further heighten tensions within the university system.
“ASUU-NEC is fully prepared to call out its members if nothing concrete is done to address this lingering problem without further delay,” Piwuna declared.
While expressing dissatisfaction with governments that have failed to implement the agreement, the ASUU president commended Abia State Governor Alex Otti and a number of other governors who have taken steps to comply with the provisions of the 2025 deal.
He urged state governments yet to meet their obligations to act swiftly in order to avoid industrial unrest that could negatively affect students and academic activities.
Piwuna also criticised the decision of Osun State Governor Ademola Adeleke to approve a two-year tenure extension for the Vice-Chancellor of Osun State University, Prof. Clement Adebooye.
According to him, the move contradicts established university regulations and could weaken institutional autonomy by reviving controversial tenure-extension practices previously resisted by the academic community.
He called on the governor to reconsider the decision in the interest of preserving university governance standards.
The ASUU president further endorsed the call by Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) President Joe Ajaero for an immediate review of the national minimum wage, arguing that worsening economic conditions have significantly reduced the purchasing power of Nigerian workers.
As tensions continue to build, Piwuna appealed to students, parents, labour unions, civil society groups and the media to intervene and encourage authorities to address the issues before they escalate into another prolonged university shutdown.
He maintained that while ASUU remains committed to dialogue and engagement with both federal and state governments, patience among its members is rapidly wearing thin.
“ASUU cannot guarantee uninterrupted academic calendar at the expense of the existential needs of our members,” he said.
The latest warning signals growing pressure on government authorities to resolve long-standing disputes with university lecturers and avert another strike that could disrupt academic activities across Nigeria’s public universities.
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