BAUCHI, Nigeria — The Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, has issued a four-day ultimatum to the federal government to begin implementing a newly approved salary structure for university lecturers, warning of possible action if the demand is not met.
Christopher Piwuna, the union’s president, announced the deadline on Thursday, March 26, 2026, during remarks at Sa’adu Zungur University’s Yuli campus in Bauchi State.
He said the countdown would begin immediately.
“We have issued a four-day ultimatum from today to the federal government to commence payment of the newly approved salary structure.
Failure to comply will attract a strong response from the union,” Piwuna said.
Agreement Yet to Be Implemented
The demand follows a renegotiated agreement signed in January between the union and the federal government, aimed at resolving longstanding disputes that have led to repeated disruptions in Nigeria’s public university system.
The agreement included provisions for a revised salary structure and was seen as a step towards ending a prolonged impasse linked to the 2009 agreement on lecturers’ service conditions, which had faced implementation delays for years.
At the time of the signing, Piwuna expressed hope that the agreement would be carried out without the need for further industrial action.
Delays and Salary Concerns
Nearly three months after the agreement, the union says there has been little progress in implementing key provisions.
Piwuna said recently that some federal universities were unable to pay full salaries for January and added that he was not aware of any institution that had paid lecturers for February.
The issue was highlighted last week when members of ASUU at University of Lagos embarked on an indefinite strike over salary shortfalls before suspending the action following discussions with university management.
Budget Delays Cited
According to the union, difficulties in implementing the new pay structure are partly linked to delays in the passage of the 2026 federal budget.
The union has warned that failure by the government to act within the four-day period could lead to further escalation, raising concerns about potential disruptions in the academic calendar.
