ASUU Declares Nationwide Strike Over Unpaid June Salaries
The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has officially directed its members across the country to withdraw their services, embarking on a nationwide strike over delays in the payment of June 2025 salaries. This industrial action follows growing frustrations among lecturers who accuse the Federal Government of breaching prior agreements and failing to address long-standing issues within Nigeria’s public university system.
Already, branches of the union at the University of Jos (UNIJOS) and the University of Abuja (UNIABUJA) have reportedly downed tools, signaling the beginning of what could become a crippling disruption of academic activities nationwide.
No Pay, No Work
In a statement released on Sunday, ASUU’s National President, Professor Emmanuel Osodeke, confirmed the union’s decision to enforce its “No Pay, No Work” policy. He explained that the failure of the government to pay salaries for June 2025 contravenes the basic agreements between the union and federal authorities.
“Our members cannot continue to work under conditions where they are owed salaries. Teaching, research, and community service cannot be delivered on empty stomachs,” Osodeke said.
He noted that despite several reminders and engagements with government officials, there has been no satisfactory explanation for the delay in salary disbursement. ASUU insists that withholding lecturers’ pay is an act of unfair labour practice and a deliberate attempt to weaken the union’s advocacy for improved conditions in the nation’s tertiary institutions.
Immediate Effects on Universities
The impact of the strike is already being felt in some universities. At the University of Jos, lectures have been suspended, and students have expressed anxiety over how the strike might extend their academic calendar once again. Similarly, at the University of Abuja, lecture halls were locked, with students seen discussing the implications of the industrial action.
A student of UNIJOS, Samuel Adeyemi, lamented the development:
“We’re tired of these endless strikes. It’s like every year, our education is held hostage. We just resumed after the last strike and now we’re going back home again.”
Parents, guardians, and education stakeholders are also expressing fears that the current strike might drag on, as has been the pattern in past ASUU actions, which have sometimes lasted for several months.
Government’s Response
As of press time, there has been no official response from the Federal Ministry of Education regarding the strike. However, sources within the ministry suggest that the government is working to resolve the salary backlog, blaming technical issues in the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS) for the delay.
An official who spoke anonymously stated:
“We acknowledge there have been challenges with processing June salaries. The government is not deliberately withholding payments. We are engaging with relevant agencies to ensure lecturers are paid soon.”
Nonetheless, many ASUU members remain skeptical, recalling previous situations where such assurances failed to yield prompt solutions.
Broader Issues at Stake
Beyond salary delays, ASUU’s grievances encompass a range of unresolved issues, including poor funding of universities, deteriorating infrastructure, non-payment of Earned Academic Allowances (EAA), and lack of progress on the renegotiation of the 2009 ASUU-FG Agreement.
Professor Osodeke warned that unless the government treats the education sector as a genuine priority, Nigeria’s higher education system risks further decline.
“We have been consistent in our demands for better conditions, not just for lecturers, but for the entire educational system. Our universities lack laboratories, proper libraries, and modern learning facilities. Students are the ultimate victims,” he stressed.
Students and Parents React
Many students fear that the academic year could once again be disrupted, resulting in delayed graduations and higher financial burdens. Parents also worry about the costs associated with their wards being kept idle at home.
Mrs. Olayemi Balogun, a parent of a student at UNIABUJA, expressed frustration:
“We’re struggling to pay fees, yet our children are not in school half the time. The government and ASUU should find a lasting solution. This is too much for us.”
What Next?
While the duration of the current strike remains uncertain, ASUU has vowed to continue until salaries are paid and meaningful dialogue resumes. University managements across the country are reportedly meeting to determine how best to handle the situation and reduce disruptions for students.
Observers note that the resolution of this dispute will depend heavily on swift government action to settle outstanding salaries and open genuine negotiations on broader university issues.
Until then, academic activities in Nigeria’s public universities remain in limbo, leaving students, parents, and lecturers anxiously waiting for a breakthrough.
