ASUU Decries Unpaid 2022 Salaries, Demands Education Review

The Academic Staff Union of Universities has demanded the payment of outstanding salaries withheld from lecturers following its 2022 nationwide strike, while calling for a comprehensive review of Nigeria’s education system.

ASUU National President, Prof. Chris Piwuna, made the demands on Friday during a press conference in Jos, Plateau State.

Piwuna said the Federal Government appeared to have abandoned the payment of the remaining three-and-a-half months’ salaries withheld from lecturers who participated in the 2022 strike.

He recalled that ASUU had welcomed the payment of four of the seven-and-a-half months’ withheld salaries by the Tinubu administration but said the unpaid balance had left members dissatisfied.

According to him, repeated appeals that lecturers made significant sacrifices during the industrial action and that payment would strengthen industrial harmony had not received adequate government attention.

Piwuna said the union’s National Executive Council had rejected the government’s position and resolved to use all legitimate means available to secure payment.

He also demanded the immediate payment of outstanding 25/35 per cent wage awards and promotion arrears owed to university lecturers.

The ASUU president further criticised what he described as the poor implementation of the December 2025 FGN-ASUU Agreement, warning that inconsistent implementation by federal and state governments could trigger renewed unrest across university campuses.

He said several federally owned universities were struggling to implement the financial provisions of the agreement because of inadequate funding, while only a small number of state governors had endorsed the new salary structure for academics.

Piwuna disclosed that ASUU had authorised varying degrees of industrial action at some affected institutions, including Plateau State University, Nasarawa State University, Gombe State University, Abia State University and Kaduna State University.

The union also condemned alleged harassment of its members at the Enugu State University of Science and Technology, Imo State University and Abia State University.

Piwuna said ASUU would not support the suspension of industrial action at the affected universities until alleged victimisation stopped.

Beyond workers’ welfare, the union called for a fundamental rethink of Nigeria’s education system to reflect the country’s economic, cultural, technological and developmental realities.

ASUU urged greater investment in research, technical education, agriculture, innovation and skills development relevant to Nigeria’s needs.

The union also criticised the TETFund policy distinguishing between “tenable” and “non-tenable” universities, describing it as discriminatory.

Piwuna further expressed concern over insecurity ahead of the 2027 elections and urged governments to resolve outstanding welfare issues and fully implement the December 2025 agreement to prevent further disruption in universities.