ASUU warns of fresh strike threat over unfulfilled 2025 FG agreement

The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), University of Jos branch, has warned that failure by the Federal Government to fully implement the December 2025 FGN/ASUU agreement could trigger a new wave of industrial action in Nigeria’s public universities.

The warning was issued on Monday in Jos by the branch chairman, Prof. Jurbe Joseph Molwus, during a press briefing following a congress of the union and deliberations of ASUU’s National Executive Council (NEC) held at the Modibbo Adama University, Yola.

Molwus expressed dissatisfaction with what he described as the government’s slow and inconsistent implementation of the agreement, particularly the non-inauguration of the Implementation Monitoring Committee.

He noted that while some universities have begun partial payment of allowances, others have not implemented any aspect of the agreed entitlements, creating disparities across the system.

According to him, the affected allowances include the Consolidated Academic Tool Allowance, Earned Academic Allowance, Professorial Allowance, and Responsibility Allowance.

Molwus also criticised the Federal Government’s establishment of the National Research and Innovation Development Fund, arguing that it was done without proper reference to the agreement reached with the union.

He further raised concerns over unresolved welfare issues affecting lecturers, including salary arrears, promotion backlogs, unremitted deductions, and outstanding payments linked to the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS).

The ASUU chairman also faulted certain policy decisions in the education sector, including the reported reversal of the mother-tongue policy in early childhood education and proposals affecting academic programme structures in universities.

He also opposed plans to establish a campus of Coventry University in Nigeria under a transnational arrangement, describing it as inconsistent with national educational priorities.

Molwus linked the growing tensions in the university system to broader national challenges, including economic hardship and insecurity, which he said have worsened living conditions and affected academic stability.

The union urged the Federal Government and relevant stakeholders to urgently address outstanding issues, warning that continued neglect of lecturers’ welfare could lead to renewed industrial unrest.

He cautioned that “the seeming insensitivity to the welfare of our members is brewing pent-up anger that may result in another round of industrial unrest if not urgently addressed.”