The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has officially declared a nationwide strike over the non-payment of June 2025 salaries, plunging Nigeria’s public university system into another round of academic disruption. The strike, which began in several institutions on Monday, is being enforced under the union’s “No Pay, No Work” policy, which mandates withdrawal of services if salaries are delayed more than three days into a new month.
Confirming the industrial action in Abuja, ASUU National President, Prof. Chris Piwuna, expressed frustration over the repeated delays and accused the federal government of deliberately neglecting lecturers’ welfare. He emphasized that the hardship caused by irregular salary payments has reached a critical point, noting that no lecturer has received a salary since February, a situation he described as unacceptable.
ASUU branches at the University of Jos and the University of Abuja are among the first to fully comply with the strike directive. Dr. Jurbe Molwus, chairman of the ASUU chapter in Jos, confirmed that lecturers have withdrawn their services, while a strike monitoring team has been mobilized to ensure total compliance. At the University of Abuja, although ASUU officials declined to comment, the disruption in academic activities signals the strike is in full effect.
Prof. Piwuna blamed the ongoing salary delays on the poor handling of the Government Integrated Financial Management Information System (GIFMIS), which replaced the controversial Integrated Personnel Payroll and Information System (IPPIS). He insisted that the problem is not with the payment platform but with those managing it. “There are no technical issues. The system works when they want it to work. The delays are intentional and reflect the government’s lack of commitment to university education,” he said.
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The union’s grievances extend beyond salary delays. Prof. Piwuna also raised concerns over the federal government’s failure to pay the outstanding N10 billion in Earned Academic Allowances (EAA). While the government had initially pledged N50 billion, only N40 billion has been released so far. He warned that unless the balance is paid immediately, the union may escalate its industrial action.
ASUU’s leadership criticized government officials for ignoring repeated calls and engagements, including meetings with the Minister of Education and the Office of the Accountant General. According to Prof. Piwuna, these engagements have yielded no tangible results, deepening the sense of betrayal among academic staff.
The union maintains that timely payment of salaries is fundamental to university operations and the quality of education. The current strike is yet another blow to Nigeria’s public universities, already struggling with infrastructure deficits, funding gaps, and repeated disruptions to the academic calendar.
The federal government is yet to respond to the unfolding crisis, while students and parents across the country are bracing for what could become a prolonged shutdown of higher institutions.