The Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, Imo State University, Owerri branch, has declared a total and indefinite strike over the failure of the Imo State Government and the university management to implement the 2025 agreement between the union and the Federal Government.
The union announced the industrial action on Monday, August 10, 2026, during a press conference held at the university in Owerri, the Imo State capital.
The branch Chairman, Stephen Oguji, and Secretary, Lazarus Chikwendu, said the decision followed what they described as the continued failure of the state government and university management to address the welfare and other conditions of service contained in the agreement.
The agreement was signed by ASUU and the Federal Government on December 23, 2025, and was expected to take effect from January 1, 2026.
The union said it had made several attempts to engage the university management on the matter but received no meaningful response.
According to the branch leadership, the agreement had been formally presented to the university administration several times, while the union also issued a 21-day ultimatum demanding action.
Despite these steps, the lecturers said the situation remained unchanged.
ASUU-IMSU said it was particularly concerned that other state-owned universities had started implementing parts of the agreement while Imo State University had yet to do so.
The union mentioned universities in Bauchi, Ekiti, Ogun, Osun and Sokoto states as institutions where implementation had commenced.
It described the situation at IMSU as unacceptable, especially after lecturers had continued to perform their duties despite what it called poor welfare conditions.
The union said, “ASUU and FG on 23rd December, 2025 signed an agreement for enhanced welfare of academic staff and for other conditions of service in public universities scheduled to take effect from 1st January, 2026.”
The lecturers said ASUU had also raised the matter at national and zonal levels.
According to them, the ASUU Owerri Zone addressed the media about six weeks before the latest action and called on the Imo State Government to implement the agreement at the university.
The branch said the failure to act had left its members frustrated and had increased tension within the institution.
Beyond the 2025 agreement, the lecturers listed several other issues which they said had remained unresolved for years.
They accused the authorities of retaining Imo State University in the Treasury Single Account, saying the arrangement had affected the autonomy of the institution.
The union also alleged that promotion arrears dating back to 2016 remained unpaid.
It further claimed that some members had not received their salaries for several months, while 21 months of check-off dues owed to the union had allegedly been withheld.
The lecturers also complained about the non-payment of Earned Academic Allowance, EAA, since 2009.
ASUU said the unresolved issues were among the reasons it embarked on a strike in 2024.
The industrial action was later suspended following an appeal and promises by the university management to look into the concerns raised by the union.
However, according to the lecturers, many of the problems have remained unresolved.
The union said the latest decision to embark on an indefinite strike was therefore taken after several efforts to resolve the issues through dialogue failed.
“ASUU-IMSU has therefore today, 10th August, 2026 embarked on a total and indefinite strike and vows never to return to work until the agreement is fully implemented,” the union said.
The branch called on the Imo State Government to urgently intervene and direct the implementation of the 2025 agreement at the university.
It warned that continued delay would serve no useful purpose and could further increase industrial tension within the institution.
The union also appealed to traditional and religious leaders, civil society organisations, parents, student unions and other stakeholders to intervene.
It urged the groups to prevail on the Visitor to the university to take steps towards resolving the dispute.
The strike is expected to affect academic activities at the university, including lectures, examinations and other academic programs, depending on how long the dispute lasts.
The development could also affect students who are preparing for examinations or other academic activities, particularly if the disagreement between the union and the authorities is not resolved quickly.
Industrial disputes between university lecturers and governments have been a recurring issue in Nigeria’s education sector.
ASUU has repeatedly raised concerns about funding, staff welfare, university autonomy, infrastructure and the implementation of agreements reached with the Federal Government.
Such disputes have often resulted in prolonged strikes, disrupting academic calendars and forcing students to remain at home.
The union has consistently argued that better funding and improved welfare for academic staff are necessary to strengthen public universities and prevent the continued movement of lecturers to better-paying jobs in Nigeria and abroad.
The latest dispute at IMSU is, however, focused on the implementation of the 2025 agreement as well as several long-standing welfare issues which the branch said had not been resolved.
ASUU-IMSU said its decision should not be seen as a rejection of dialogue.
The union stressed that it remained willing to engage the relevant authorities in discussions aimed at resolving the dispute.
“We wish to state unequivocally that ASUU-IMSU remains committed to dialogue, consultation and constructive engagement as the preferred mechanisms for resolving industrial disputes,” the union said.
It, however, warned that its willingness to negotiate should not be interpreted as acceptance of what it described as the continued denial of the legitimate rights of its members.
The lecturers said they could no longer continue working under what they described as poor welfare conditions while agreements reached with government remained unimplemented.
The union expressed hope that the relevant authorities would act quickly to resolve the dispute and allow academic activities to resume.
For students and parents, the immediate concern will be how long the strike will last and whether the state government and university management will be able to reach an agreement with the lecturers.
A quick resolution could prevent further disruption to the university’s academic calendar, while prolonged disagreement could lead to additional delays for students.
ASUU-IMSU has, however, made its position clear: it will remain on strike until the 2025 agreement is implemented and the other outstanding welfare issues affecting its members are addressed.