Posted by Chinenye on Tue 11th Aug, 2026 - tori.ng
Tension is rising across Nigeria’s university system as ASUU gives authorities a fresh deadline to address unresolved parts of the 2025 agreement.
(ASUU. Photo by Guardian Nigerian News)
The Academic Staff Union of Universities has directed lecturers at 20 universities to prepare for industrial action over alleged insufficient implementation of the 2025 Federal Government-ASUU Agreement by both federal and state authorities.
The union has issued a 14-day ultimatum to these governments and university leadership to resolve outstanding issues, with branches prepared to commence strike action should the deadline pass unmet.
The decision emerged from ASUU's National Executive Council meeting held at the University of Abuja on August 8 and 9, 2026.
Union President Prof. Christopher Piwuna announced that an emergency NEC session would convene at month's end or early September to assess developments and determine subsequent action.
The affected institutions include state and federal universities across multiple regions, among them Nasarawa State University, Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida University, University of Medical Sciences Ondo, Gombe State University, and others across the nation's six geopolitical zones.
ASUU attributed the dispute to what it characterised as haphazard implementation of the agreement and the Federal Government's reluctant approach to releasing funds required for full implementation.
The union noted that while the 2025 accord represents a significant achievement following more than 16 years of negotiations, execution has proven problematic.
The agreement, signed in December 2025, sought to address longstanding grievances regarding academic staff remuneration, research funding and institutional underfunding.
The pact contains a 40 per cent salary increase for academic staff effective January 2026, which the Federal Government announced had commenced implementation in February.
It additionally introduced the Consolidated Academic Tools Allowance covering publication expenses, learned society memberships, conference participation, internet access and scholarly materials.
Compensation structures include professorial allowances of N1.74 million annually and reader allowances of N840,000 yearly.
The agreement further mandated review of Earned Academic Allowances covering postgraduate supervision and other academic duties, alongside measures strengthening staff welfare, research capabilities, infrastructure and institutional development.
However, implementation has generated new tensions between ASUU and government.
The union has reported selective implementation across universities, with some institutions providing only partial salary components while others remain non-compliant with certain provisions.
ASUU has expressed concern over delays in constituting an Implementation Monitoring Committee, which it views as essential for preventing administrative obstacles from undermining the agreement.
ASUU's NEC simultaneously addressed academic promotions, appointments and campus security matters.
The union praised withdrawal of two professorial appointments at Federal University Lokoja following branch resistance and investigation, yet expressed concern over promotion of a former registrar to professorial rank at Federal University Wukari.
It directed branches to resist professorial promotions of bursars and registrars failing to meet applicable criteria.
The council raised heightened concerns regarding campus insecurity, particularly incidents resulting in d£aths of union members.
It directed affected branches to lodge petitions with police and security agencies and compile comprehensive incident reports for national leadership submission.
With the 14-day ultimatum now active, federal and affected state governments face escalating pressure to resolve outstanding issues before another industrial crisis materialises within Nigeria's university system.