The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has asked 20 state-owned universities in Nigeria to prepare for an indefinite strike due to delays and inconsistent execution of the 2025 agreement reached between the Federal Government and the union.
The impacted universities are to begin the procedure with a 14-day ultimatum to their respective governments.
If the requests are not met within the time frame, the institutions may resort to industrial action.
The decision was taken at the meeting of the National Executive Council of ASUU was convened at the University of Abuja on August 8 and 9, 2026.
The union said the planned action was connected to challenges with the implementation of the deal, specifically payments and resources required to meet obligations made to university teachers.
After many years of discussions, the Federal Government and ASUU signed a deal in 2025 on January 14.News in your area
The two parties have been negotiating for years, and a government committee and the union finally completed the renegotiation process in December 2025.
The pact was intended to tackle some of the long-standing problems facing teachers in public universities.
It contains provisions for the Consolidated Academic Tools Allowance, Earned Academic Allowance and Professorial Allowance and other things relevant to the welfare and working circumstances of academic professionals.
But the execution has not been uniform among the state universities. The agreement has not witnessed many of the state governments meeting their financial obligations, with professors in many universities left waiting for their wages and other benefits.
As per the available reports, just around 10 state institutions have fully executed the agreement, whereas more than 57 others are still struggling with the challenges of its implementation.
The ASUU president, Prof. Christopher Piwuna, said the union’s national leadership had assessed the situation and concluded that impacted institutions should start to take steps toward industrial action if the unresolved issues were not addressed.Executive Branch
The union also raised worry over what it termed as delays by the Federal Government in delivering the financial support needed for the full execution of the agreement.
The universities listed for the intended action are Nasarawa State University, Keffi Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida University, Lapai University of Medical Sciences, Ondo Gombe State University Plateau State University, Bokkos Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma Olusegun Agagu University of Science and Technology, Okitipupa Abia State University, Uturu University of Education and Entrepreneurship, Akamkpa.
Others are Emmanuel Alayande University of Education, Oyo; Kaduna State University; Kano State University of Science and Technology, Wudil; Northwest University, Kano; Enugu State University of Science and Technology; Imo State University; Niger Delta University; University of Africa, Toru-Orua; Bayelsa Medical University and Taraba State University, Jalingo.
The strike, if not averted before the end of the 14-day warning, could impact academic activity in the listed institutions.
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