Lecturers at five state-owned universities have downed tools indefinitely, joining a nationwide ASUU push to force governments to honour the 2025 renegotiated agreement.
The walkout affects Abia, Ondo, Imo, Gombe and Nasarawa states. It follows a directive from ASUU’s national leadership to about 20 state universities to take industrial action over what the union called the “haphazard implementation” of the January 2025 deal with the federal and state governments.
ASUU President Christopher Piwuna said the decision was taken at the union’s NEC meeting in Abuja on August 8 and 9, 2026.
Here is how it is playing out campus by campus:
- Abia State University: ASUU-ABSU started a total and indefinite strike on Tuesday, August 11, 2026. The chapter said it had waited out a 14-day ultimatum issued to the pro-chancellor on July 22 with no resolution on outstanding welfare demands.
- Adekunle Ajasin University, Ondo: The AAUA chapter also began an indefinite, total and comprehensive strike on Tuesday. Chairman Boluwaji Oshodi said letters and meeting requests to the Ondo government yielded no action, and that arrears from January 2026 must be paid before classes resume.
- Olusegun Agagu University of Science and Technology, Ondo: OAUSTECH’s ASUU chairman Oluwatoyin Ogunbamike announced a similar indefinite action until the state implements the 2025 FG-ASUU agreement.
- Imo State University: IMSU-ASUU commenced its strike on Monday, August 10, 2026 after a 21-day ultimatum expired. Leaders Stephen Oguji and Lazarus Chikwendu listed unpaid promotion arrears dating to 2016, unpaid salaries, 21 months of withheld check-off dues, and unpaid earned academic allowance since 2009.
- Nasarawa State University, Keffi: The NSUK branch started its indefinite strike on Monday, August 10. Chairman Zubairu Loko said dialogue had been exhausted and both the 2025 agreement and local issues remain unresolved.
The strikes come days after three unions at Lagos State University also withdrew services over welfare issues, including a promised N50,000 palliative, buses, a 20 percent salary increase, and implementation of the 2025 agreement.
Background on the deal
After nearly 16 years of deadlock, the federal government signed a renegotiated agreement with ASUU on January 14, 2026. Talks had wrapped up in December 2025.
The agreement covers 40 percent of the current consolidated salary scale, Earned Academic Allowance, Consolidated Academic Tool Allowance, plus professorial, responsibility and supervision allowances, and other non-monetary items. State governments are expected to domesticate it.
ASUU says the strike will continue until the agreement is fully implemented and outstanding entitlements are paid.
