Union accuses government of neglecting lecturers’ welfare, undermining university stability
The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has warned that mounting frustration among university lecturers could trigger another round of industrial action, accusing the Federal Government of failing to properly implement the 2025 agreement reached with the union.
The warning emerged after ASUU’s National Executive Council meeting held at Modibbo Adama University in Yola, where union leaders said the goodwill generated by the December 2025 agreement was rapidly eroding.
Addressing journalists after the meeting, ASUU president Christopher Piwuna said both federal and state governments had failed to honour key welfare and funding commitments intended to stabilise Nigeria’s tertiary education system.
“The increasing frustration occasioned by the seeming government’s disinterestedness in the welfare of Nigerian academics is brewing a pent-up anger which could erupt into a new wave of industrial unrest if not addressed,” the union said.
ASUU criticised the government for failing to inaugurate the Implementation Monitoring Committee, which it said was designed to prevent bureaucratic bottlenecks and ensure full compliance with the agreement.
The union alleged that several federal universities were selectively implementing lecturers’ entitlements, including the Consolidated Academic Tool Allowance, Earned Academic Allowance and Professorial Allowance, while many state governments had yet to begin implementation altogether.
“Vice-Chancellors are picking and choosing what to pay,” the union said, insisting that all allowances should have been fully integrated into salary structures.
Beyond allowances, ASUU listed a series of unresolved welfare concerns, including outstanding arrears linked to the 25–35 per cent salary award, promotion arrears, salary shortfalls associated with the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS), unpaid third-party deductions and the continued withholding of three-and-a-half months’ salaries following the union’s 2022 strike.
According to the union, the persistent neglect of lecturers’ welfare poses a broader threat to national development.
“No country can progress when the welfare issues of its academics are left unattended,” ASUU said, accusing authorities of treating scholars “like menial workers.”
The union also raised concerns over the welfare of retired lecturers, alleging that pensioners in several state universities are owed years of arrears and that pension harmonisation efforts have stalled.
In addition to labour issues, ASUU launched a sharp critique of recent education policies introduced by the Federal Ministry of Education under Minister Tunji Alausa.
The union rejected the proposed Transnational Education framework that would facilitate the establishment of a campus of Coventry University in Nigeria, describing the move as “neo-colonial” and arguing that government should instead focus on strengthening domestic universities to compete globally.
ASUU also opposed the ministry’s reversal of the mother-tongue policy in early childhood education, insisting the decision contradicts international research and best practices.
The union further criticised plans to compel academics to enrol in the Nigeria Education Repository Databank, warning that the initiative could infringe on digital privacy and academic independence.
On proposals to phase out certain university courses deemed “irrelevant,” particularly in the humanities and social sciences, ASUU argued that such disciplines remain essential for critical thinking, creativity and communication.
“Every course in the university has its utilitarian values,” the union said, vowing to resist any arbitrary scrapping of academic programmes.
ASUU also accused some university administrators of financial mismanagement and irregular appointments, criticising the emergence of roles such as “Professor of Practice” and “Diaspora Professors,” which it claimed were being used to favour associates and political allies.
The union additionally condemned an alleged attempt by the Niger State Government to reclaim land housing the Bosso campus of Federal University of Technology Minna, warning that such actions could undermine cooperation between federal and state authorities in higher education development.
Beyond the university sector, ASUU painted a bleak picture of Nigeria’s wider socio-economic conditions, citing rising insecurity, inflation, poverty and political tension ahead of the 2027 elections.
The union claimed that more than 133 million Nigerians are trapped in multidimensional poverty and warned that worsening instability across the country continues to disrupt education and livelihoods.
While reiterating its commitment to dialogue, ASUU appealed to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and other stakeholders to urgently address outstanding issues in order to preserve industrial peace in universities.
The union also disclosed that its NEC had directed the convening of an emergency meeting within weeks to reassess developments and determine its next course of action.
