ASUU Issues Stern Warning Over Unpaid Salaries, Sets March Deadline
The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has issued a serious warning to the federal government, demanding full payment of lecturers' salaries by the end of March 2026. The union president, Chris Piwuna, emphasized that lecturers' patience is wearing thin amid ongoing budget delays and political distractions.
Union Demands Full Implementation of 2025 Agreement
During a recent interview, Piwuna clarified that ASUU expects salaries to be paid in full at the month's end, reflecting the agreement signed with the federal government in December 2025. He stressed that the union is focused on the complete implementation of these 2025 agreements, which were designed to address long-standing salary issues for academic staff across Nigerian universities.
"We are aware that now our government and politicians are interested in primaries, conventions, and the 2027 elections. We don't begrudge them if that's their interest. But our own interest in the union is the full implementation of the 2025 agreements that we signed with them," Piwuna stated.
Threat of Industrial Action Looms
The ASUU president warned that if the federal government fails to fulfill its promises by the March deadline, the union will be forced to take action. He indicated that any response would follow proper procedures and stages, suggesting potential industrial action if salary payments are not made as agreed.
"If that is not done, we will be forced to act. And in doing that, we will go through the procedures and the different stages of whatever actions we want to take," Piwuna declared.
Government's Previous Assurance on Strike Resolution
This warning comes despite previous assurances from the federal government that strikes in tertiary institutions had ended. Education Minister Tunji Alausa had assured parents that universities would remain open, claiming that disputes with ASUU had been resolved and that a new agreement with non-academic staff was forthcoming.
However, ASUU's recent ultimatum suggests ongoing tensions regarding the implementation of salary agreements. The union had previously threatened strike action, giving the government a four-day deadline to pay lecturers under the new salary structure.
Stakeholders Urge Restraint Amid Government Commitments
Meanwhile, education stakeholders have cautioned ASUU against embarking on another strike, highlighting the government's commitment to salary payments. They pointed to Minister Alausa's transparency in formalizing agreements with the union as a positive step toward resolution.
The situation remains tense as the March deadline approaches, with university lecturers awaiting the full implementation of what has been described as their biggest salary boost in over a decade. The federal government's response to this ultimatum will be crucial in determining whether Nigeria's universities face another period of industrial unrest.
