Fresh university crisis fears as ASUU warns over unpaid entitlements

The Academic Staff Union of Universities has warned that continued failure to implement the 2025 agreement reached with the Federal Government could plunge Nigerian universities into another industrial crisis.

The warning was issued by the Sokoto Zonal Chapter of the union, which covers 10 universities across the North-West region.

Addressing journalists in Sokoto, zonal coordinator Comrade Abubakar Sabo accused both federal and state governments of selectively implementing the agreement while neglecting critical welfare and governance issues affecting lecturers.

“The Sokoto Zone is deeply disturbed that several federal and state universities are yet to fully implement major components of the 2025 FGN ASUU Agreement,” he said.

ASUU listed unresolved issues to include unpaid earned academic allowances, academic and professorial allowances, promotion arrears, salary deficits, annual increments and unpaid third-party deductions.

The union urged governments to fully implement all aspects of the agreement to prevent industrial unrest.

“We call on both the federal and state governments to faithfully implement every component of the agreement in the interest of industrial harmony,” Sabo stated.

The union also lamented delays in the payment of the 25–35 per cent salary award arrears, withheld salaries from the 2022 strike period, pension delays and unresolved pension harmonisation for retired academics.

ASUU further accused some state universities of failing to implement the 40 per cent peculiar allowance and neglecting payment of earned allowances for special and parallel academic programmes.

The union specifically cited Sokoto State University and Shehu Shagari University of Education, alleging that lecturers in the institutions were still owed entitlements for handling multiple academic sessions.

“Universities cannot function effectively where lecturers are denied their legitimate entitlements for years,” Sabo said. “Nigerian academics deserve dignity, fair treatment and prompt payment of their lawful earnings.”

The union warned that prolonged delays could destabilise academic calendars across the country.

On policy matters, ASUU criticised several recent education sector initiatives, including the reported reversal of the mother-tongue policy in early child education.

It also opposed plans to establish foreign-affiliated universities under the Transnational Education Framework, arguing that such a move could weaken Nigeria’s public university system.

ASUU further rejected compulsory registration of academics on the Nigerian Educational Repository Data platform without adequate consultation.

The union equally faulted proposals to phase out some humanities and social science programmes, insisting that unemployment in Nigeria stems from governance and economic failures rather than academic disciplines.

“All academic disciplines remain relevant to national growth and societal advancement,” Sabo stressed.

ASUU also condemned what it described as rising maladministration, lack of transparency and politically influenced appointments in universities.

According to the union, irregular appointments and questionable academic designations threaten the credibility and autonomy of Nigerian universities.

The Sokoto Zone additionally raised concerns over insecurity in northern Nigeria, saying banditry, terrorism, kidnappings and communal violence continue to endanger students, lecturers and host communities.

“Many communities have been displaced, while staff and students in several institutions now operate under constant fear and uncertainty,” Sabo stated.

The union reaffirmed its commitment to defending lecturers’ welfare and advocating improved funding and autonomy for public universities.

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