The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has issued a four-day ultimatum to the Federal Government to immediately implement a newly approved salary structure for university lecturers, warning that failure to comply could trigger fresh industrial action across public universities.
Speaking on Thursday at a public lecture in Bauchi State, ASUU President, Professor Christopher Piwuna, expressed frustration over what he described as the government’s persistent failure to honour agreements reached with the union.
According to him, the new salary structure—agreed upon after prolonged negotiations in December 2025—was expected to take effect from January 2026. However, months after the deadline, implementation remains stalled.
“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,” Piwuna warned.
The development signals a possible return to tension in Nigeria’s university system, which has been repeatedly disrupted by strikes over unpaid allowances, poor funding, and unfulfilled agreements between ASUU and the Federal Government.
Piwuna lamented that the repeated breakdown in trust has made negotiations increasingly difficult, noting that the union has consistently engaged government in dialogue, only for agreements to be ignored.
Beyond salary concerns, the ASUU president also raised alarm over what he described as attempts to allow foreign universities to establish branches in Nigeria, specifically referencing the proposed entry of Coventry University.
He argued that such moves could weaken the country’s higher education system, describing it as a form of “academic colonialism” that undermines local institutions.
Instead, Piwuna urged the government to invest in strengthening Nigerian universities, improve funding, and collaborate with academic unions to raise standards rather than outsourcing education.
The ultimatum comes amid rising labour tensions across the public sector. Just days earlier, ASUU had directed some of its members to withdraw services over salary arrears and challenges linked to the Government Integrated Financial Management Information System (GIFMIS).
In addition, broader unrest is brewing among federal workers, with civil servants also threatening industrial action over unpaid wage awards—highlighting a growing wave of dissatisfaction within the public sector.
Analysts warn that if the Federal Government fails to respond promptly to ASUU’s ultimatum, Nigeria could once again face widespread disruptions in its academic calendar, affecting millions of students nationwide.
For now, all eyes are on Abuja as the four-day countdown begins.
ASUU Issues Four-Day Ultimatum to FG Over Salary Structure, Threatens Fresh Crisis
