The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) chapter at the University of Jos (UNIJOS) has officially commenced a total and indefinite industrial action following the expiration of a 48-hour ultimatum given to the university management and the Federal Government. This strike, which was ratified during an emergency congress of the union held on the university’s permanent site, is a direct consequence of the non-payment of staff salaries for the month of March 2026 and the persistent refusal of the government to settle outstanding Earned Academic Allowances (EAA). The leadership of the union has directed all academic staff to withdraw their services immediately, effectively bringing all teaching, research, and examination activities across the institution’s various campuses to a complete standstill.
The Chairperson of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) UNIJOS branch, Associate Professor Jurbe Molwus, explained that the decision to strike was not taken lightly but became inevitable due to the “insensitivity” of the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation toward the welfare of its members. He noted that while other federal agencies and some sister institutions had received their March emoluments, the academic staff of the University of Jos were left in a state of financial limbo, unable to meet their basic domestic obligations or commute to their duty posts. Molwus further emphasized that the strike is not merely about the current month’s salary but also addresses the broader “Systemic Neglect” of the 2009 ASUU-FGN agreement, which remains largely unimplemented despite multiple memoranda of understanding signed in recent years.
The Vice-Chancellor of the University of Jos, Professor Ishaya Tanko, has expressed concern over the development, noting that a prolonged strike would severely disrupt the already fragile academic calendar. While acknowledging the legitimacy of the staff’s grievances, the university management has appealed for calm, stating that they are in active communication with the Federal Ministry of Education and the Budget Office of the Federation to rectify the payment discrepancies. However, student representatives, led by the President of the University of Jos Students’ Union Government (SUG), have voiced their frustration, warning that the recurring cycle of strikes is “mortgaging the future” of the youth and extending the duration of degree programs beyond reasonable limits.
Educational analysts point out that the UNIJOS strike may serve as a precursor to a wider national industrial action if the Federal Government fails to address the “Payroll Glitches” associated with the Integrated Personnel and Payroll Information System (IPPIS). Experts suggest that the continued friction between the university unions and the government over payment platforms remains a fundamental “Bottleneck” in the Nigerian tertiary education sector. The lack of a stable and predictable salary payment schedule is cited as a primary driver of the “Brain Drain” currently affecting the nation’s universities, as talented academics seek more reliable opportunities in the private sector or abroad.
The broader implications of this indefinite strike extend beyond the university gates, affecting the local economy of Jos, which is heavily reliant on the student population. As classrooms remain locked and research laboratories go silent, the pressure mounts on the Minister of Education, Professor Tahir Mamman, to intervene and prevent the strike from spreading to other federal universities. For the academic staff, the strike is viewed as a “Last Resort” in the struggle for professional dignity, while for the students and parents, it is another painful chapter in the ongoing crisis of confidence within the Nigerian educational system.
