The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has declared a nationwide strike following the federal government’s failure to pay lecturers their June 2025 salaries.
The strike, which began Monday, is in line with the union’s long-standing “No Pay, No Work” policy. ASUU President, Prof. Chris Piwuna, confirmed the action in Abuja, stating that the union’s National Executive Council (NEC) had earlier resolved to withdraw services if salaries were delayed more than three days after month-end.
Branches at the University of Abuja and University of Jos are among the first to have downed tools.
Prof. Piwuna criticised the federal government’s handling of lecturers’ welfare, particularly pointing fingers at the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation for the persistent salary delays. He said that despite several high-level meetings, including those with the Minister of Education, the issue remains unresolved.
“Our members are frustrated. We’re tired of talking about this. We want to work, but they have not allowed us to,” Piwuna stated.
He added that since lecturers were migrated from the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS) to the Government Integrated Financial Management Information System (GIFMIS), salary delays have worsened, even though the new platform has posed no technical challenges.
The ASUU president also warned that the union may escalate its actions if the federal government fails to release the outstanding ₦10 billion from the Earned Academic Allowance (EAA). Out of the ₦50 billion previously pledged by the government, only ₦40 billion has been disbursed.
ASUU has vowed that the strike will remain in effect at any federal university where June salaries have not been paid.
