The Federal Government has received a warning from the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) that if lecturer salaries are not fully implemented in accordance with the 2025 agreement by the end of March, it may take legal action.
In an interview with TheCable, ASUU President Prof. Christopher Piwuna issued the warning, stating that the union demands full payment of wages, including all agreed-upon allowances, by the end of the month.
According to Piwuna, the union did not give the four-day ultimatum that was widely reported.
He claimed that ASUU just cited the remaining days in March as a fair time frame for the government to abide by the terms of the agreement.
He pointed out that the union adheres to established protocols prior to initiating any industrial action.
The president of ASUU clarified that while lecturers had noticed certain salary adjustments since January, the accord was still not fully implemented.
He claimed that payments at federal colleges had not yet properly reflected a number of the agreement’s provisions.
He claims that the gaps especially impact visiting and sabbatical professors, many of whom are not fully compensated because their host schools’ financial limitations.
Additionally, Piwuna revealed that important components—like the Earned Academic Allowances—that were supposed to be included in salaries had not been paid in full.
The union is demanding complete adherence to the December 2025 deal signed with the federal government.
The deal includes increased welfare provisions for academic workers, a 40% increase in allowances, and an improved compensation structure.
Piwuna also attributed university financing issues to delays in the national budget’s passage.
In advance of the general elections in 2027, he charged that the government was focusing on political activity.
He declared, “We are sick of waiting. The full implementation of the 2025 agreement is in our best interests.”
The head of ASUU stated that in addition to pay, the deal includes provisions for the creation of a National Research Council, better benchmarks for education spending, and a N30 billion stabilization fund that will be distributed over a three-year period to solve university funding gaps.
But he bemoaned the slow pace at which these promises have been fulfilled.
He claims that there is little evidence that the government is taking decisive action to achieve predetermined goals, such as gradually raising education funding to 25% of the national budget.
Piwuna issued a warning, saying that if the government does not fully follow the deal, ASUU will take immediate action.
He declared, “The union will react in accordance with its established procedures if the government fails to ensure full payment of salaries and implementation of the agreement by the end of March.”
