By Henryrich Ojo | Newsworld

The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has threatened to resume its suspended nationwide strike without further notice if the Federal Government and state governments fail to resolve outstanding issues affecting university lecturers.

Algeria Breaks Ties With UAE, Bans Emirati Aircraft

The union said it could reactivate its industrial action over the incomplete implementation of the December 2025 agreement, payment of 3.5 months’ outstanding withheld salaries, and the failure to remit billions of naira deducted from lecturers’ earnings.

ASUU President, Professor Christopher Piwuna, disclosed the union’s position in a communiqué issued after an emergency meeting of its National Executive Council (NEC) held at the University of Abuja.

The union said the December 2025 agreement was reached after more than eight years of negotiations and struggles, but remained only partially implemented by the Federal Government and several state governments.

ASUU warned that failure to take urgent action on the outstanding issues could trigger another nationwide industrial action.

“Unless immediate and concrete steps are taken to FULLY and COMPREHENSIVELY address issues bordering the welfare and well-being of Nigerian academics, ASUU-NEC will not accept any blame for calling out its members on a nationwide strike action within the shortest time possible,” the union stated.

ASUU Commends States Implementing Agreement

ASUU commended Abia State Governor Alex Otti and the governments of Bauchi, Ekiti, Ogun, Benue, Yobe, Adamawa, Kebbi, Katsina and Borno for beginning the implementation of the agreement.

The union also said Kano, Edo, Plateau, Taraba, Gombe and Bayelsa states had indicated that they would commence implementation between September and October.

However, ASUU urged other state governments to act quickly, warning that continued delays could plunge their state-owned universities into what it described as a major industrial crisis.

Tinubu Paid Four Months’ Withheld Salaries

On withheld salaries, the union acknowledged that the administration of President Bola Tinubu had paid four of the 7.5 months’ salaries withheld from lecturers during the previous administration.

However, ASUU said 3.5 months remained outstanding and demanded that the balance be paid.

“We have consistently acknowledged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for paying four (4) out of the withheld salaries. However, leaving out the unpaid balance does not give his government the full credit of a labour-friendly administration,” ASUU said.

The union also raised concerns over the alleged failure to remit pension contributions, cooperative deductions and check-off dues deducted from lecturers’ salaries.

According to ASUU, the outstanding deductions amount to billions of naira and have remained unremitted for several months.

Union Warns of Imminent Industrial Crisis

ASUU said the combination of unpaid salaries, unremitted deductions and the incomplete implementation of the December 2025 agreement was creating growing tension within the university system.

The union maintained that the failure of federal and state governments to fully implement the agreement could destabilise public universities.

“In no mistaken terms, ASUU posits that the non- or haphazard implementation of the 2025 FGN-ASUU Agreement by federal and state governments is a recipe for industrial crisis in Nigeria’s public universities,” it stated.

The lecturers’ union urged the Federal Government and state governments to resolve the outstanding issues without further delay.

It also warned that it would not accept responsibility if the suspended strike was reactivated.

“ASUU-NEC resolved to notify all concerned that the Union may activate its suspended strike action without any further notice if the critical issues raised in this release are not speedily addressed,” the union said.

The warning raises the possibility of another disruption to academic activities across Nigeria’s public universities if the outstanding issues are not resolved.