By Seyi Odewale
The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has instructed its members nationwide to embark on an indefinite strike due to the Federal Government’s failure to pay lecturers’ June 2025 salaries.
The union’s National Executive Council (NEC) issued the directive in line with its long-standing resolution of “No Pay, No Work,” citing continued hardship faced by academic staff due to irregular and delayed wage disbursements.
ASUU President, Prof. Chris Piwuna, confirmed the decision on Monday in Abuja, revealing that several university branches, including the University of Jos and the University of Abuja, have already complied and gone on strike.
Piwuna criticised the Federal Government for what he described as a “deliberate and irresponsible pattern” of salary delays, worsened by the transition from the discredited Integrated Personnel Payroll and Information System (IPPIS) to the Government Integrated Financial Management Information System (GIFMIS).
“Our members have been enduring severe hardship. We are paid paltry sums, and even those come late. Salaries are delayed by a week, sometimes even 10 days. That is unacceptable,” the ASUU President stated.
He added that, despite several interventions and meetings with the Minister of Education and the Accountant-General of the Federation, no meaningful action has been taken to resolve the issue.
“The Office of the Accountant General has failed to demonstrate seriousness. Our NEC agreed that if salaries are not paid within three days after the due date, work should stop. What’s happening now is simply the implementation of that resolution,” Piwuna added.
According to him, all ASUU branches whose members are yet to receive June salaries are expected to join the industrial action immediately.
The development has raised fresh concerns over the stability of Nigeria’s higher education sector, which has suffered from repeated strikes, inadequate funding, and unresolved labour disputes over the years.
