The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has issued a stern warning to the Federal Government of Nigeria, demanding the immediate implementation of the newly approved salary structure for university lecturers or risk a nationwide shutdown of public universities.
The union handed down a four-day ultimatum on Thursday, signaling rising tension in Nigeria’s education sector and raising fears of another round of industrial action that could disrupt academic activities across federal and state universities.
Speaking at Sa’adu Zungur University in Bauchi State, ASUU President, Christopher Piwuna, said the government must commence payment under the new salary arrangement without any further delay. According to him, the ultimatum takes immediate effect, and failure by the government to act within the deadline would trigger a strong response from the union.
“We have issued a four-day ultimatum from today to the federal government to commence payment of the newly approved salary structure. Failure to comply will attract a strong response from the union,” Piwuna said.
The ASUU president stressed that the demand was not new, noting that the salary structure was part of a renegotiated agreement reached with the government months earlier. He explained that the agreement, signed in January, was aimed at resolving long-standing disputes between the union and the government and preventing the recurring strikes that have plagued Nigeria’s university system for years.
Piwuna expressed concern that despite the agreement and promises made by government representatives, lecturers were yet to begin receiving payment under the new structure. He warned that continued delay would be interpreted as a lack of commitment on the part of the government.
The union leader noted that Nigerian lecturers had continued to work under difficult conditions, including poor remuneration, inadequate infrastructure, and delayed salaries in some institutions. He argued that the new salary structure was designed to address some of these challenges and improve the welfare of university lecturers, thereby strengthening the country’s higher education system.
According to him, failure to implement the agreement could once again push the union into industrial action, a situation he said ASUU had tried to avoid through dialogue and negotiations.
ASUU has a long history of disputes with the Federal Government of Nigeria, often resulting in prolonged strikes that disrupt academic calendars and delay graduations for millions of students across the country. The most recent renegotiation agreement was widely seen as a step toward lasting peace in the university system, but the latest ultimatum suggests that tensions remain unresolved.
Education stakeholders have expressed concern over the development, warning that another nationwide strike would further weaken Nigeria’s already strained university system. Students, parents, and university administrators are particularly worried about the potential disruption, especially as institutions are still trying to stabilize their academic calendars after previous strike actions.
Some analysts say the situation highlights the broader funding and policy challenges facing Nigeria’s education sector. They argue that without consistent investment in universities and a clear commitment to agreements reached with academic unions, the cycle of strikes and disruptions may continue.
For now, attention is focused on the government’s response within the four-day deadline. If the government begins payment as demanded, it could calm tensions and prevent another shutdown. However, if the deadline passes without action, Nigeria’s public universities may once again face closure, with far-reaching consequences for students and the education sector.
The coming days will therefore be critical in determining whether the country’s universities will remain open or be forced into another period of academic uncertainty.
