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.
The President of ASUU, Professor Christopher Piwuna, disclosed the ultimatum on Thursday while delivering a speech at a public lecture held at Sa’adu Zungur University, Yuli Campus, in Bauchi State. An agreement on the new salary structure was reached in December 2025, with implementation scheduled to take effect from January 2026.
Union Demands Swift Action on Salary Implementation
Piwuna stated that the ultimatum takes effect from Thursday, stressing that the Federal Government must act swiftly and commence payment under the new salary arrangement, which was approved after prolonged negotiations between both parties. He warned that failure to comply would attract a strong response from the union.
"We have issued a four-day ultimatum from today to the Federal Government to begin the payment of the newly approved salary structure. Failure to comply will attract a strong response from the union," he said.
He lamented that the Federal Government has consistently failed to honour several agreements in the past, a situation that has led to repeated disputes and industrial actions across the university system.
Union Opposes Foreign University Expansion Plans
Speaking on the proposed establishment of a branch of Coventry University in Nigeria following President Bola Tinubu’s visit to London, Piwuna said ASUU would resist the move, arguing that it would further erode the value and relevance of Nigerian universities. He described the planned entry of Coventry University as a form of colonialism in Nigeria’s education system, noting that the union has long been committed to improving the country’s university system.
Piwuna also argued that the move comes at a time when the institution is experiencing declining admission applications globally. He advised the Federal Government to instead collaborate with ASUU to improve the standard of Nigerian universities to better serve the educational needs of present and future generations.
On March 11, 2026, ASUU directed members in some branches to withdraw their services over delays in the payment of June 2025 salary arrears, as well as challenges associated with the transition to the Government Integrated Financial Management Information System (GIFMIS). In late 2025, the union had issued several ultimatums, including 14-day and one-month notices, urging the government to conclude the renegotiation and implementation of the 2009 ASUU-Federal Government agreement.
Separately, on March 25, 2026, federal civil servants, outside of ASUU, threatened nationwide industrial action over outstanding wage awards, further highlighting ongoing labour tensions across the public sector.
