The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has warned the Federal Government to urgently begin the implementation of the newly approved salary structure for university lecturers or risk another nationwide strike.
The union, through its president, Christopher Piwuna, gave the government a four-day deadline to act, stating that failure to comply would lead to decisive action that could disrupt academic activities across public universities.
Speaking at Sa’adu Zungur University in Bauchi State, Piwuna emphasized that the government must commence payment under the revised salary framework without further delay.
The ultimatum follows an agreement reached earlier in January between ASUU and the government, which was intended to address lingering disputes and prevent the frequent strikes that have affected Nigeria’s university system over the years.
A key component of the agreement is the introduction of a new salary structure aimed at improving lecturers’ welfare and resolving issues tied to the long-standing 2009 FG-ASUU agreement, much of which remains unfulfilled.
Despite initial optimism, the union has expressed frustration over the lack of progress. According to ASUU, several federal universities are already facing financial strain, with some institutions struggling to fully pay staff salaries in recent months.
The situation recently escalated at the University of Lagos, where lecturers embarked on an indefinite strike over unpaid wages before suspending the action after discussions with management.
ASUU has linked the delay in implementing the new salary structure to administrative challenges, including the slow approval of the 2026 national budget.
With the ultimatum now in place, pressure is mounting on the Federal Government to act swiftly and prevent another disruption to the country’s public university system.