The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has issued a four-day ultimatum to the Federal Government, demanding the immediate implementation of a newly approved salary structure for university lecturers nationwide.
ASUU President, Christopher Piwuna, announced the decision on Thursday while speaking at a public lecture held at Sa’adu Zungur University, warning that failure to comply could trigger industrial action.
According to him, the salary agreement reached in December 2025 was scheduled to take effect from January 2026, but the government has yet to begin implementation.
“We have issued a four-day ultimatum from today for the Federal Government to commence payment under the new salary structure. Failure to comply will attract a strong response from the union,” Piwuna said.
He expressed frustration over what he described as the government’s persistent failure to honour agreements with the union, a situation that has repeatedly led to disputes and strikes within Nigeria’s university system.
Piwuna also criticized plans to establish a Nigerian branch of Coventry University, following President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s recent visit to London.
He argued that such a move could undermine local universities and described it as a form of “educational colonialism.”
The ASUU president urged the government to focus instead on strengthening Nigeria’s university system through meaningful collaboration with stakeholders.
The ultimatum comes amid rising tensions in the education and public sectors. Earlier in March, ASUU directed some members to withdraw services over unpaid salary arrears and issues linked to the Government Integrated Financial Management Information System (GIFMIS).
The union had also issued multiple warnings in late 2025, including 14-day and one-month ultimatums, calling for the full implementation of the 2009 agreement with the Federal Government.
With fresh threats of industrial action looming—not just from ASUU but also from other public sector workers—the coming days may prove critical for Nigeria’s already strained education system.
