The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has issued a fresh warning that Nigeria’s public university system could be plunged into another round of industrial action if the Federal Government and state authorities fail to fully implement the December 2025 agreement reached with the union.
The warning followed the union’s National Executive Council (NEC) meeting held at Modibbo Adama University, Yola, between May 9 and 10, 2026, where members reviewed progress on the agreement and other unresolved issues affecting university lecturers.
In a statement released on Monday, ASUU President, Chris Piwuna, expressed dissatisfaction with what he described as the “distorted and uncoordinated” implementation of the agreement by government authorities.
According to the union, it had deliberately maintained silence since the agreement was signed and publicly presented in January 2026, but was compelled to speak after assessing its implementation.
“The momentum generated with the unveiling of the 2025 FGN-ASUU Agreement on January 14, 2026, is fast waning and may soon be lost if government’s promise to fully implement the agreement is not kept,” the statement said.
ASUU blamed the situation partly on the failure to inaugurate the Implementation Monitoring Committee, which was expected to oversee proper execution of the agreement. It also accused both federal and state governments of carrying out partial and inconsistent implementation, noting that only a few states have complied fully.
The union further alleged that some federal university administrators were selectively implementing key components such as Consolidated Academic Allowances, Earned Academic Allowances, and Professorial Allowances, instead of integrating them into the Consolidated Academic Salary Structure as agreed.
ASUU also criticised several state governments for failing to honour the agreement despite being part of the negotiation process, which spanned eight years from 2017 to 2025.
On research funding, the union faulted the Federal Government’s proposed National Research Council and the planned National Research and Innovation
Development Fund, arguing that the initiatives do not align with the agreement’s recommendation of allocating at least one per cent of GDP to research and development.It also raised concerns about the proposed $500 million funding structure, questioning its source and warning against possible reliance on external borrowing.
The union listed several unresolved welfare issues, including salary arrears, promotion arrears, withheld salaries from the 2022 strike, unremitted deductions, and salary shortfalls linked to the Integrated Personnel and Payroll Information System (IPPIS).
ASUU also decried delays in pension payments for retired lecturers, particularly in state universities, and accused the National Pension Commission of slowing down the harmonisation of retirement benefits.
The union called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, in his capacity as Visitor to federal universities, to urgently intervene and address the lingering welfare concerns.
Beyond welfare issues, ASUU opposed the reversal of the mother-tongue policy in early childhood education, describing it as retrogressive. It also rejected plans to establish a campus of Coventry University in Nigeria under a transnational education arrangement, warning that such a move could undermine local institutions.
The union further criticised the compulsory enrolment of academics into the Nigeria Education Repository Databank, describing it as a violation of academic autonomy and data protection principles.
ASUU also pushed back against proposals to scrap certain university courses deemed “irrelevant,” insisting that humanities and social sciences remain vital for national development and innovation.
Raising broader concerns, the union pointed to growing political tension, insecurity, and economic hardship in the country ahead of the 2027 general elections.
It warned that continued neglect of lecturers’ welfare could heighten frustration among its members and trigger another industrial action.
ASUU urged Nigerians to pressure governments at all levels to honour the agreement and resolve outstanding issues, adding that its NEC would
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