Education

ASUU Begins Nationwide Strike Over Unpaid June Salaries

Published by Tope Fakinlede on July 8th, 2025.

ASUU Begins Nationwide Strike Over Unpaid June Salaries

The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has directed its members across the country to suspend all academic activities in response to the delay in the payment of their June 2025 salaries. The union says the action is in line with a standing resolution that no work will be done without pay.

Branches of the union at the University of Jos and the University of Abuja have already downed tools following the directive from the union’s National Executive Council (NEC).

ASUU President, Professor Chris Piwuna, confirmed the development in Abuja on Monday during an interview with Tribune Online. He explained that the union had long agreed that if salaries are not paid within three days of a new month, lecturers would withdraw their services until the matter is resolved.

Piwuna expressed frustration over what he described as the federal government’s continued indifference to the plight of university lecturers, who have been grappling with inconsistent and delayed salary payments since transitioning from the IPPIS platform to the GIFMIS system.

Despite repeated engagements with top government officials, including the Minister of Education and the Accountant General of the Federation, ASUU said no meaningful progress has been made, prompting the enforcement of the “No Pay, No Work” policy.

“Our members have endured unnecessary hardship due to salary delays. It is not just about money—it’s about respect and the ability to perform our duties with dignity. If they don’t pay us, we will not work,” Piwuna said.

He also pointed fingers at the Office of the Accountant General, accusing it of deliberately withholding funds despite the payment system being functional. “The platform itself isn’t the problem—payments go through when funds are released. The real issue lies with those managing the release of the money,” he added.

Piwuna also warned that beyond the salary issue, the outstanding N10 billion in Earned Academic Allowance (EAA) must be settled immediately. He reminded the public that the federal government had agreed to pay N50 billion, but only N40 billion was disbursed, leaving N10 billion unpaid.

At the University of Jos, ASUU branch chairman Jurbe Molwus confirmed that lecturers had ceased all academic engagements, including lectures and meetings, in compliance with the NEC directive. He stated that members would continue to withdraw services any time salaries are not paid by the third of the month. The branch has also activated its monitoring team to ensure full compliance.

Similarly, the University of Abuja branch has followed suit. While the branch chairman, Dr. Sylvanus Ugoh, was unavailable for comment, sources confirmed that academic activities had been suspended. The university’s spokesperson, Dr. Habib Yakoob, declined to speak on the matter and directed all inquiries to the local ASUU leadership.

ASUU has made it clear that this strike is not just a protest—it’s a call for accountability. The union maintains that timely salary payments are a basic necessity and warned that continued delays could further escalate tensions in the country’s already strained education sector.