The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has warned the Federal Government to start paying lecturers under the newly approved salary structure immediately, or risk a nationwide strike. The union has issued a strict four-day deadline, stressing that failure to act will force them to take serious measures that could disrupt public universities across Nigeria.
Speaking at Sa’adu Zungur University, ASUU President Christopher Piwuna made it clear that the government must commence payment without delay. “We have issued a four-day ultimatum from today to the federal government to begin the payment of the newly approved salary structure. Failure to comply will attract a strong response from the union,” he said.
This demand follows a new agreement reached between ASUU and the federal government in January, intended to resolve long-standing disputes and end the recurring strikes that have plagued the country’s universities for years. A key part of the deal is the new salary structure aimed at improving lecturers’ welfare and addressing unresolved issues from the 2009 agreement, which was never fully implemented.
The union’s warning underscores ongoing tensions in the education sector, highlighting the urgency of fulfilling agreements that directly impact the livelihoods of university lecturers and the stability of Nigeria’s higher education system.