The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has given the Federal Government a four-day ultimatum to implement the newly approved salary structure for university lecturers nationwide.
ASUU President, Professor Christopher Piwuna, announced the deadline on Thursday during a public lecture at Sa’adu Zungur University, Yuli Campus, in Bauchi State.
The new salary structure was agreed upon in December 2025 and was scheduled to take effect from January 2026. Piwuna stressed that the Federal Government must act immediately, warning that failure to comply would trigger 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 government has repeatedly failed to honour previous agreements, a pattern that has fuelled recurrent disputes and industrial actions.
Addressing the proposed establishment of a Coventry University branch in Nigeria following President Bola Tinubu’s recent visit to London, Piwuna said ASUU would resist the plan, calling it a “form of colonialism” that undermines the value and relevance of Nigerian universities.
“The entry of Coventry University comes at a time when global admissions to the institution are declining. Instead of foreign collaborations, the government should work with ASUU to strengthen Nigerian universities and improve standards for future generations,” he added.
Earlier this month, on March 11, 2026, ASUU directed some branches to suspend services over delays in June 2025 salary arrears and challenges linked to the transition to the Government Integrated Financial Management Information System (GIFMIS).
The union had also issued multiple ultimatums in late 2025, including 14-day and one-month notices, urging the government to finalise the renegotiation and implementation of the 2009 ASUU-Federal Government agreement.
Separately, on March 25, 2026, federal civil servants outside ASUU threatened nationwide industrial action over unpaid wage awards, highlighting broader labour tensions across the public sector.
