- He stated that the ultimatum takes immediate effect and urged the government to commence payments without delay
- he urged the government to partner with ASUU to strengthen domestic universities
- The union has also issued multiple warnings since late 2025, including 14-day and one-month ultimatums
The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has given the Federal Government a four-day deadline to begin implementing a newly approved salary structure for university lecturers across the country.
ASUU President, Christopher Piwuna, made this known on Thursday during a public lecture at Sa’adu Zungur University in Bauchi State, Eko Hot Blog reports.
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He stated that the ultimatum takes immediate effect and urged the government to commence payments without delay.
According to him, the salary package was agreed upon after lengthy negotiations, with rollout initially scheduled for January 2026. He warned that failure to act within the given timeframe would prompt a strong reaction from the union.
Piwuna also expressed frustration over what he described as the government’s pattern of failing to honour agreements with ASUU, noting that such lapses have repeatedly triggered disputes and strikes within Nigeria’s university system.
He further criticised plans linked to Bola Tinubu’s recent trip to London, which involve establishing a branch of Coventry University in Nigeria. Piwuna argued that the move could weaken local institutions and described it as a form of educational neo-colonialism.
Instead, he urged the government to partner with ASUU to strengthen domestic universities and better position them to meet current and future educational demands.
Earlier in March 2026, ASUU had already directed members in some branches to suspend work over unpaid salary arrears from June 2025 and challenges tied to the transition to the Government Integrated Financial Management Information System.
The union has also issued multiple warnings since late 2025, including 14-day and one-month ultimatums, pressing the government to complete the renegotiation and implementation of the 2009 agreement between both parties.
At the same time, tensions are rising across the public sector, as federal civil servants outside the university system have also threatened a nationwide strike over unpaid wage awards, signaling wider labour unrest.
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