The Academic Staff Union of Universities has issued a four-day ultimatum to the Federal Government, demanding the immediate implementation of the newly approved salary structure for university lecturers.

The directive was announced by ASUU President, Christopher Piwuna, during an address to union members at Sa’adu Zungur University in Bauchi State.

Piwuna said the countdown takes effect immediately, warning that the union would take decisive action if the government fails to begin payment within the stipulated timeframe. He stressed that the demand reflects long-standing concerns over delayed implementation of agreements with the government. 

The ASUU president criticised what he described as the Federal Government’s repeated failure to honour agreements, noting that such lapses have historically led to industrial disputes and disruptions in the university system. 

He also raised concerns over plans to establish a Nigerian campus of Coventry University, warning that the move could undermine the development of local universities. Piwuna described the proposal as a threat to Nigeria’s higher education system, arguing that priority should instead be given to strengthening domestic institutions. 

The ultimatum comes amid ongoing tensions between ASUU and the Federal Government over welfare, funding, and implementation of agreements in the education sector.

Observers say the latest development could signal a potential return to industrial action if both parties fail to reach a resolution within the given timeframe, raising concerns about possible disruptions to academic activities across Nigerian universities.

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The Academic Staff Union of Universities has announced a two-week warning strike across public universities, blaming the Federal Government’s failure to meet long-standing demands for the renewed industrial action.

The strike, scheduled to begin at midnight on Sunday, was confirmed in Abuja by the union’s National President, Professor Chris Piwuna, following the expiration of a 14-day ultimatum earlier issued to the government.

Piwuna said the warning strike became unavoidable after government officials failed to make tangible progress on key issues affecting the university system. He warned that the union would escalate the action to a total and indefinite strike if the situation remained unresolved after the two-week period.

According to him, the action is intended to draw attention to persistent delays in implementing agreements and addressing critical challenges facing public universities.

Among the unresolved issues listed by the union are the renegotiation and signing of the 2009 Federal Government–ASUU Agreement, payment of withheld three-and-a-half months’ salaries, outstanding salary arrears of between 25 and 35 per cent, unpaid promotion arrears, and the release of withheld third-party deductions.

Other concerns include sustainable funding and revitalisation of public universities, as well as alleged victimisation of lecturers in Lagos State University, Prince Abubakar Audu University, and the Federal University of Technology, Owerri.

Piwuna expressed disappointment with the outcome of a recent emergency meeting of the FGN–ASUU renegotiation committee held on October 10, describing documents presented by government representatives as inconsistent with previous agreements.

He added that repeated assurances from government officials, including correspondence from the Federal Ministry of Education dated September 30, had not translated into concrete action.

The union appealed to students, parents, and the general public for understanding, stating that its actions were aimed at safeguarding the future of Nigeria’s university system.

Meanwhile, the Congress of University Academics said its members would not participate in the strike. The union’s National President, Dr Niyi Sunmonu, said CONUA had no unresolved dispute with the government and had resolved to continue academic activities.

Sunmonu argued that repeated strikes had failed to deliver lasting solutions and had instead caused harm to students and the education system. He said CONUA would continue to engage government through dialogue and negotiation rather than industrial action.

The National Association of Nigerian Students has also called for a swift resolution of the dispute, urging all parties to prioritise stability in the university system.

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Nigerian university professors are among the worst paid in Africa, earning an average of $366 (about N500,000) monthly — far below counterparts in South Africa ($57,471 annually), Uganda ($50,595), and Kenya ($48,000). Even countries with smaller economies such as Eswatini, Lesotho, and Sierra Leone pay significantly higher wages.

Lecturers say the poor pay has worsened morale and triggered mass exits. “I opted to forego a Nigerian salary and be paid by the funder. That is the reality of our poor pay,” a professor said about choosing fellowship funding over his university salary. Another recalled a colleague who earned nearly N1 million during a sabbatical but returned to a university salary of just N250,000.

Former UNILAG Vice Chancellor, Prof. Oluwatoyin Ogundipe, lamented that poor remuneration has crippled teaching quality. “The lecturers are tired, the morale is low… My son saw my pay slip and described it as a joke. Do you know that some lecturers sleep in the office?” he said.

ASUU President, Emmanuel Piwuna, blamed government neglect, noting salaries have barely changed since 2009. “Professors who were earning a little over N400,000 have still not been able to get to the N500,000 mark… Meanwhile, the political class keeps approving new pay rises for themselves,” he said

Prof. Tunde Adeoye of UNILAG urged urgent action to avert fresh strikes. “The government must improve our living standards and conditions of service to prevent brain drain. Many of our members cannot pay their house rents,” he said.

Source: Punch

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The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has again expressed frustration over the poor wages of Nigerian lecturers, warning that another nationwide strike could become inevitable if the Federal Government fails to take urgent action.

After staging protests across university campuses earlier this week, ASUU leaders said members would now hold congresses to decide their next step. The protests followed complaints that professors still earn between ₦525,000 and ₦633,000 monthly under the Consolidated University Academic Salary structure, with some earning even less after deductions.

Speaking on the matter, ASUU President, Prof. Chris Piwuna, said the union was running out of patience with government promises. “Our members are tired of words without action. We have not been invited for any meeting yet, but once our congresses conclude, we will take whatever decision our members mandate us to take,” he said.

Former Vice Chancellor of the University of Lagos, Prof. Oluwatoyin Ogundipe, lamented that academics had been left demoralised by the poor pay structure. “Lecturers are tired, morale is very low, and academic standards are dropping. At a point as VC, I earned ₦900,000, but now as a professor, I take home about ₦700,000. My son saw my payslip and laughed at it. Many of us sleep in offices because we cannot even maintain decent living standards,” Ogundipe explained.

Similarly, Prof. Tunde Adeoye of the University of Lagos urged the government to immediately renegotiate the 2009 agreement with ASUU. “The salary of a professor in Nigeria is about ₦500,000 before deductions, which drops to around ₦300,000 after. In some African countries, lecturers are far better paid. If something is not done, we will continue to lose our best brains to other countries,” Adeoye said.

Secretary of the Committee of Vice Chancellors, Prof. Andrew Haruna, also condemned successive governments for undervaluing Nigerian academics. “I have taught in more than 10 universities across Europe, and I know what academics are worth. If someone earns $4,000 abroad but is offered ₦400,000 here, it shows the low value placed on education in Nigeria. Professors are globally mobile, and many will continue to leave unless conditions improve,” Haruna stated.

ASUU insists that without genuine commitment to better funding, improved salaries, and a clear timetable for implementing the renegotiated agreement, Nigeria’s public universities risk another shutdown.

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The union clarified that while a full-scale strike has not been declared, it is currently enforcing a “no pay, no work” policy in universities where academic staff are yet to receive their June wages. The directive has led to the suspension of academic activities in affected institutions.

ASUU leadership stated that institutions which have fulfilled salary obligations, such as the University of Jos and the University of Abuja, have resumed normal operations. However, campuses where payments remain pending continue to observe the work stoppage.

The union expressed frustration over the delays, stressing that the inability of lecturers to receive their earnings hampers academic performance and disrupts the university system. ASUU warned that if the issue is not addressed by month’s end, a coordinated nationwide shutdown would follow.

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