ASUU Threatens to Resume Nationwide Strike Over Withheld Salaries, Unmet Agreement

By Nimotalahi Awoniyi

The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has threatened to resume its delayed nationwide strike, if the Federal Government and state governments refuse to address the outstanding salaries of university lecturers.

The union’s position was contained in a statement received by a correspondent from The Punch newspaper in the early hours of Friday, September 11, 2026 and signed by its President, Christopher Piwuna, following an emergency meeting of its National Executive Council held at the University of Abuja.

ASUU noted that the December 2025 agreement followed more than eight years of negotiations and struggles but had not been fully implemented by the Federal Government and several state governments.

“Unless immediate and concrete steps are taken to FULLY and COMPREHENSIVELY address issues bordering the welfare and well-being of Nigerian academics, ASUU-NEC will not accept any blame for calling out its members on a nationwide strike action within the shortest time possible,” the union warned.

The union commended the Abia State Governor, Alex Otti, and the governments of Bauchi, Ekiti, Ogun, Benue, Yobe, Adamawa, Kebbi, Katsina and Borno for commencing implementation of the agreement, among others.

It added that Kano, Edo, Plateau, Taraba, Gombe and Bayelsa states had pledged to commence implementation in September or October.

ASUU, however, warned other state governments to act before their universities were plunged into an “industrial crisis of monumental proportions.”

The union also acknowledged that the administration of President Bola Tinubu had paid four of the 7.5 months of salaries withheld during the Muhammadu Buhari administration but demanded the immediate release of the outstanding 3.5 months.

“We have consistently acknowledged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for paying four (4) out of the withheld salaries. However, leaving out the unpaid balance does not give his government the full credit of a labour-friendly administration,” it said.

ASUU further alleged that pension contributions, cooperative deductions and union check-off dues running into billions of naira had remained unremitted for several months.

According to the union, the accumulation of unpaid salaries, unremitted deductions and poor implementation of the agreement was threatening industrial peace in the nation’s universities.

“In no mistaken terms, ASUU posits that the non- or haphazard implementation of the 2025 FGN-ASUU Agreement by federal and state governments is a recipe for industrial crisis in Nigeria’s public universities,” it stated.

The union urged the Federal Government and state governments to act quickly, insisting that it would not accept responsibility if the suspended strike was reactivated.

“ASUU-NEC resolved to notify all concerned that the Union may activate its suspended strike action without any further notice if the critical issues raised in this release are not speedily addressed,” the union said.