The Academic Staff Union of Universities has threatened to take serious action against the Federal Government over what it described as the poor implementation of agreements reached with the union in 2026.
The union warned that the excitement and hope created by the signing and unveiling of the agreement earlier this year were gradually fading due to delays, lack of coordination and the government’s alleged failure to keep to key parts of the deal.
ASUU made its position known on Wednesday through the union’s Kano Zone Coordinator, Abdulkadir Muhammad, who accused the government of failing to establish the Implementation Monitoring Committee, IMC, agreed upon during negotiations.
According to him, the committee was supposed to oversee the implementation process and prevent unnecessary bureaucratic obstacles that could frustrate the agreement.
“Our concern arises from the government’s inability to constitute the Implementation Monitoring Committee, which was expected to protect the agreement from bureaucratic delays and inertia and ensure its effective implementation,” Professor Muhammad said.
The union explained that the agreement reached between ASUU and the Federal Government was unveiled on January 14, 2026, after years of negotiations between both sides. ASUU said the agreement was expected to improve the welfare of lecturers, strengthen research and restore stability in Nigerian universities.
However, the union claimed that implementation has so far been uneven and poorly coordinated.
According to ASUU, officials of the Federal Government have been carrying out parts of the agreement selectively, while many state governments have failed to adopt or enforce the deal in their universities.
Professor Muhammad accused administrators of federal universities of implementing only certain components of the agreement while ignoring others.
He listed some of the affected areas to include the Consolidated Academic Tool Allowances, CATA, Earned Academic Allowances, EAA, and Professorial Allowances, PA.
ASUU noted that all these benefits were supposed to be fully integrated into the Consolidated University Academic Salary Scale, CONUASS, as part of lecturers’ monthly salaries.
Instead, the union alleged that university authorities have continued to apply the agreement in parts, contrary to what was agreed during negotiations.
“Administrators of federal universities have selectively implemented aspects of the Consolidated Academic Tool Allowances, Earned Academic Allowances and Professorial Allowances despite the fact that all these components were meant to be integrated into CONUASS as part of the monthly remuneration package for academics,” he said.
The union also accused several state governors of ignoring the agreement despite the involvement of representatives from state universities and governing councils during the renegotiation process.
ASUU said some governors, who serve as visitors to state-owned universities, have refused to implement the salary aspects of the agreement.
While commending a few state universities that have begun implementation, the union condemned what it described as “partial or outright refusal” by some vice-chancellors and state authorities to obey the agreement.
“While appreciating the efforts of some state universities that have taken the lead in implementation, Kano Zone strongly condemns the partial or outright refusal to implement the salary component of the 2025 FGN-ASUU Agreement by a number of vice-chancellors of public universities,” Professor Muhammad stated.
The union warned that failure by governments to respect the agreement could threaten industrial peace in Nigerian universities.
ASUU said it remains committed to ensuring that lecturers enjoy the benefits secured after an eight-year negotiation period that lasted from 2017 to 2025.
The relationship between ASUU and successive governments has often been troubled by disagreements over funding, salaries, welfare packages and university autonomy.
Over the years, Nigerian public universities have experienced repeated strikes by ASUU, leading to long disruptions in the academic calendar.
One of the longest industrial actions occurred in 2022 when university lecturers stayed off work for several months over unresolved issues with the Federal Government.
The strikes have consistently affected millions of students across the country, delayed graduation timelines and created uncertainty within the education sector.
ASUU has repeatedly argued that poor funding and the failure to honour agreements are major factors affecting the quality of university education in Nigeria.
Apart from salary concerns, the union also raised fresh worries over the government’s plans regarding research and innovation funding.
Professor Muhammad said the absence of the Implementation Monitoring Committee was already affecting another major aspect of the December 2025 agreement involving the proposed National Research Council, NRC.
According to him, the union was surprised when the Minister of Education, Maruf Tunji Alausa, announced plans for the establishment of a National Research and Innovation Development Fund, NRIDF.
ASUU said it was not involved in the proposal despite the existence of earlier agreements between the union and the government on research development.
The Minister had reportedly announced on April 7, 2026, that the Federal Executive Council, FEC, had finalised arrangements for the creation of the fund, which he said would support research and innovation in the country.
However, ASUU expressed concern over the direction of the initiative and the reported funding figure attached to it.
“The union is alarmingly surprised that the Minister made reference to a funding figure of $500 million without acknowledging the provisions of the FGN-ASUU research, innovation and development agreement,” Professor Muhammad said.
Although ASUU said it was not against contributions from stakeholders towards improving research in Nigeria, the union insisted that the government must strictly follow the framework already agreed upon during negotiations.
The union warned against allowing outside interests to interfere with the country’s research and development agenda.
“Although the union does not oppose contributions from critical stakeholders toward developing the legal and policy framework of the fund, it urges the Federal Government to adhere strictly to the carefully designed objectives outlined in the new FGN-ASUU agreement,” he stated.
“The union will strongly oppose any attempt by external interests and their local collaborators to undermine or divert the nation’s research and development agenda.”
ASUU did not state the exact form of action it may take if the government fails to address its concerns, but the warning is likely to raise fears of another industrial dispute in the nation’s university system.
As of Wednesday evening, the Federal Government had not officially responded to the latest allegations and warning from the union.