ASUU Demands Education System Overhaul, Threatens Strike Over Unpaid Salaries

The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has called for a comprehensive review of Nigeria’s education system while issuing a fresh warning over lingering salary arrears, unpaid allowances, and delayed agreements.

Speaking at a press conference in Jos, Plateau State, ASUU National President Prof. Chris Piwuna expressed deep dissatisfaction with the Federal Government’s failure to clear the remaining balance of lecturers’ withheld salaries stemming from the 2022 nationwide strike.

The union noted that while the government previously released four months of withheld pay, the remaining three-and-a-half months remain unpaid despite extraordinary efforts by lecturers to cover missed academic periods. ASUU also criticized continuous delays in disbursing the agreed 25% and 35% wage awards alongside accumulated promotion arrears.

Additionally, the union highlighted the haphazard implementation of the December 2025 FGN-ASUU Agreement, warning that severe funding gaps at both federal and state levels threaten to disrupt campus stability nationwide. ASUU further condemned the alleged harassment and victimization of its members by university management at institutions such as Enugu State University of Science and Technology (ESUT), Imo State University (IMSU), and Abia State University (ABSU).

In response to these unresolved grievances, ASUU’s National Executive Council (NEC) has authorized selected state and federal university branches to commence varying degrees of industrial action. Institutions greenlit for strike action include Plateau State University (Bokkos), Nasarawa State University (Keffi), Gombe State University, Abia State University, and Kaduna State University.

Prof. Piwuna emphasized that the non-payment of outstanding entitlements has created significant discontent among members, resolving that the union will employ all legitimate means to compel the government to honor its commitments.

Beyond labor disputes, ASUU urged policymakers to redesign Nigeria’s educational framework to better align with the country’s unique socio-economic, technological, and agricultural realities rather than relying on foreign models. The union also criticized discriminatory funding policies within the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) and voiced serious concerns over political instability ahead of upcoming general elections.