The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) on Wednesday intensified pressure on state governments over the implementation of the 2025 Federal Government-ASUU agreement, warning that continued delays in complying with the pact could trigger fresh industrial action across public universities.
At separate press conferences held across the union’s Sokoto, Calabar, Kano and Akure zones, ASUU leaders accused several state governments of failing to implement key provisions of the agreement, including improved allowances, salary adjustments and welfare packages for lecturers.
The union maintained that although implementation has commenced in federal universities and some state-owned institutions, many states have yet to honour the agreement, leaving academic staff burdened with unpaid salaries, promotion arrears, allowances and other outstanding entitlements.
Calabar Zone
The ASUU Calabar Zone warned that lecturers in state-owned universities across Cross River, Akwa Ibom, Abia and Ebonyi states could embark on an indefinite strike if the affected governments failed to implement the agreement.
The Zonal Coordinator, Prof Ikechukwu Igwenyi, accused the four state governments of deliberately refusing to honour the agreement despite participating in the negotiations that produced it.
He said the agreement, signed on December 23, 2025, and effective from January 2026, provides for a 40 per cent increase in the Consolidated Academic and Research Allowance, Earned Academic Allowance, Professorial Allowance and other welfare packages.
He said, “The governments of the four states are deliberately refusing to implement the agreement despite being represented during the negotiations that culminated in its signing. The agreement, which took effect from January 2026, was signed on December 23, 2025.”
According to Igwenyi, only Abia State has shown willingness to implement the agreement, while other universities within the zone are yet to commence compliance.
He cautioned that failure to immediately implement the agreement and clear outstanding obligations would leave the union with no alternative but to begin a “total, comprehensive and indefinite strike.”
“The refusal of state governments to implement this agreement is a direct assault on the welfare of our members and a betrayal of the education sector. Our patience should not be mistaken for weakness,” Igwenyi said.
The ASUU leader also expressed support for members at UNICROSS, who have reportedly been on strike for about three weeks over issues including unpaid salaries, non-implementation of the agreement, withheld check-off dues, cooperative deductions, National Housing Fund contributions and promotion arrears.
He argued that lecturers in state-owned universities should enjoy the same benefits as their counterparts in federal institutions and urged the governors of Cross River, Akwa Ibom, Abia and Ebonyi states to immediately settle all outstanding entitlements.
“I use this opportunity to call on governors of Cross River, Akwa Ibom, Abia and Ebonyi States, as visitors to their respective state-owned universities, to immediately implement the agreement and clear all outstanding salary arrears, allowances and third-party deductions owed to academic staff,” he said.
Igwenyi further appealed to governing councils, university administrators, lawmakers, parents, traditional rulers, religious leaders and other stakeholders to intervene and prevent another disruption of academic activities.
Sokoto Zone
The ASUU Sokoto Zone accused the governments of Kebbi, Katsina and Zamfara states of neglecting the implementation of the agreement while lecturers continue to grapple with years of unpaid salaries, allowances and promotion arrears.
The Zonal Chairman, Prof Abubakar Sabo, said there had been little progress despite the union notifying state governments and university authorities shortly after the agreement was unveiled.
“Despite the public presentation of the agreement in January 2026, the matter did not yield any positive response, thereby creating room for bureaucratic delays, inconsistencies and lack of willingness to implement the agreement,” Sabo said.
The union alleged that lecturers at Abdullahi Fodio University of Science and Technology, Aliero, are still owed Earned Academic Allowances dating back to 2014, alongside promotion arrears, annual salary increments, minimum wage arrears and other benefits.
Although ASUU acknowledged ongoing discussions between Umaru Musa Yar’adua University and the Katsina State Government, it urged both parties to conclude negotiations quickly to avoid industrial unrest.
The union also demanded immediate payment of promotion arrears and remittance of third-party deductions at Zamfara State University.
“The continued delay in addressing these issues will lead to brain drain in our universities,” Sabo warned.
Beyond welfare concerns, ASUU criticised some federal education policies, condemned the absence of governing councils in certain state universities and expressed concern over worsening insecurity and economic hardship, which it said continue to affect teaching, learning and research.
“We urge the government to act in good faith, resolve outstanding issues promptly and avert a renewed crisis in our public universities,” Sabo said.
The union, however, commended the Sokoto State Government for implementing aspects of the agreement in its two state universities while urging Kebbi, Katsina and Zamfara states to follow suit.
Kano Zone
In Kano, ASUU warned that industrial action could become inevitable if the governments of Kano, Kaduna and Jigawa states failed to implement the agreement in their universities.
The Zonal Coordinator, Abdulrazaq Ibrahim, speaking at Bayero University Kano, said none of the state-owned universities within the zone had adopted or implemented the agreement.
He noted that while the Federal Government had released funds to settle outstanding salary components, including the Consolidated Academic Tools Allowance, Professorial Secretariat Administrative Allowance and Earned Academic Allowance, state governments in the zone had yet to domesticate the agreement.
He said, “While the Federal Government has begun implementing some key aspects of the agreement in most federal universities, none of the state-owned universities within the zone has domesticated or implemented the agreement.”
ASUU observed that several state-owned universities in other parts of the country, including Sa’adu Zungur University, Ekiti State University, Osun State University, Benue State University, Sokoto State University and Shehu Shagari University of Education, have already implemented the agreement.
“We urge the governments of Kano, Kaduna and Jigawa states to immediately domesticate the agreement, settle outstanding entitlements and resolve pending issues affecting lecturers in their respective universities or risk industrial action,” he said.
The union also renewed its demand for payment of the withheld three-and-a-half months’ salaries of lecturers, insisting members continued carrying out research during the strike period before resuming academic duties.
It further criticised delays in remitting pension contributions and other third-party deductions, warning that selective implementation of the agreement could threaten industrial harmony.
ASUU also expressed concern over insecurity, economic hardship and climate change, urging governments to prioritise the protection of lives and property while implementing policies that promote national security.
The union appealed to parents, students, civil society organisations and the media to prevail on the affected governments to honour the agreement and prevent another disruption to academic activities.
Akure Zone
The Akure Zone called on the Ondo State Government to implement the 2025 Federal Government-ASUU agreement across all state-owned tertiary institutions.
READ ALSO: ASUU Threatens Indefinite Strike Across Seven Edo, Delta, Ondo Varsities
The Zonal Coordinator, Adeola Egbedokun, accused the government of failing to implement the financial components of the agreement six months after it came into effect.
He said the state government had continued to deny lecturers their legitimate benefits despite being fully aware of its obligations under the agreement.
Egbedokun identified the Consolidated Academic and Research Allowance, Earned Academic Allowance and Professorial Allowance among the key outstanding issues.
He said, “The union has agreed to forfeit over N100bn in accumulated EAA arrears owed by the Federal Government on the condition that the allowance would be mainstreamed into lecturers’ monthly salaries at 10 per cent of their basic pay.
“Regrettably, up till today, the Ondo State Government has failed to implement this agreement.
These provisions were carefully negotiated to improve staff welfare, encourage academic productivity and excellence in research, and enhance the quality of university education across the country.
There is no justification for the delay because the state governments possess the authority, responsibility and financial capacity to implement the agreement.”
Egbedokun argued that Ondo, as the leading oil-producing state in the South-West and a beneficiary of the 13 per cent derivation fund, ought to have been among the first states to implement the agreement.
He also criticised the government’s decision to establish another committee to review the agreement, insisting implementation—not further deliberation—was required.
Egbedokun said, “What is required is implementation, not prolonged committee engagements that merely postpone government action while lecturers continue to suffer.
If the Federal Government has already signed and implemented the agreement and several states have commenced implementation, what exactly is Ondo State constituting another committee for?
“Failure to act with the urgency demanded by this situation will leave ASUU with no option but to activate all lawful and legitimate actions available within the framework of a trade union to press home its demands.”
Responding, the Ondo State Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology, Prof Igbekele Ajibefun, said the government had already begun taking steps towards implementing the agreement.
Ajibefun said, “I am sure that very soon, the Ondo State government will take action on it. I also want you to know that the agreement was signed by the FG with ASUU and is to be domesticated by state governments; most state governments have not implemented it, so it’s not just Ondo State.
“In the zone of ASUU to which Ondo State belongs, none of the states has implemented the agreement, but Ondo State is working on the implementation. Ondo State has already taken proactive action on implementation,” he said.