The Academic Staff Union of Universities has warned that Nigeria’s public universities may witness another round of industrial action if the Federal Government and state governments fail to fully implement the 2025 agreement reached with the union.
The warning followed the union’s National Executive Council meeting held at Modibbo Adama University, Yola, on May 9 and 10, 2026.
In a statement issued on Monday by ASUU President, Chris Piwuna, the union expressed dissatisfaction with what it described as the “distorted and uncoordinated” implementation of the agreement signed with the Federal Government.
According to ASUU, the momentum generated after the public unveiling of the 2025 FG-ASUU agreement in January 2026 is gradually fading due to the government’s failure to fulfill key promises.
The union blamed the situation on the delay in inaugurating the Implementation Monitoring Committee, which was expected to oversee proper execution of the agreement.
ASUU also accused federal university administrators of selectively implementing components such as Consolidated Academic Allowances, Earned Academic Allowances and Professorial Allowances instead of fully integrating them into the Consolidated Academic Salary Structure.
The union further alleged that several state governments that participated in the negotiation process had ignored the agreement entirely.
On lecturers’ welfare, ASUU listed unresolved issues including salary arrears, promotion arrears, unremitted deductions, IPPIS salary shortfalls and withheld salaries from the 2022 strike period.
It also criticised delays in pension payments for retired lecturers, especially in state universities, and called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to intervene.
The union rejected the Federal Government’s proposed National Research Council and the recently announced National Research and Innovation Development Fund, arguing that both fall short of the provisions contained in the 2025 agreement, which recommends allocating at least one per cent of the nation’s GDP to research and innovation.
ASUU also opposed the planned establishment of a campus of Coventry University in Nigeria under a transnational education arrangement, warning that it could weaken local tertiary institutions.
The union further faulted compulsory enrolment of academics into the Nigeria Education Repository Databank, describing it as a violation of academic autonomy and data protection laws.
Raising concerns over governance in universities, ASUU alleged increasing cases of maladministration and questionable academic appointments across institutions.
The union warned that continued neglect of lecturers’ welfare and unresolved issues could spark fresh industrial unrest, adding that its NEC would reconvene in the coming weeks to assess developments and determine the next line of action.
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