UNIBEN Lecturers Refuse to Call Off Strike Over Half Salary Dispute

Lecturers at the University of Benin have refused to call off their indefinite strike over a dispute concerning the payment of their August 2026 salaries.

The University of Benin chapter of the Academic Staff Union of Universities declared a total withdrawal of services after its congress resolved that members had been underpaid.

The union directed lecturers to stop teaching, supervision and participation in Departmental and Faculty Board meetings, Senate meetings and other academic or administrative activities until the outstanding salaries are fully paid.

ASUU-UNIBEN said the decision was based on existing resolutions of its National Executive Council empowering branches to withdraw their services when salaries are not fully paid by the third day of the new month.

The union also cited an emergency NEC resolution of September 5, 2026, directing branches of federal universities where salaries had been underpaid to take action.

The dispute followed reports that academic staff received only half of their August salaries, while non-academic staff were reportedly paid in full.

The development generated concern among lecturers, particularly those servicing loans and facing financial obligations ahead of the new academic session.

However, UNIBEN management has rejected the claim that lecturers were paid half salaries.

The university said the Federal Government had paid the salaries of all categories of staff up to August 2026. It explained that the issue arose from confusion between salary payments and the Consolidated Academic Tools Allowance, which had also been outstanding.

According to the management, the allowance had subsequently been released by the Federal Government and promptly distributed to eligible staff.

Despite the university’s position, ASUU-UNIBEN has maintained its industrial action, insisting that its members’ outstanding entitlements must be fully settled before the strike can be suspended.

The union said the decision could only be reviewed through an emergency congress if circumstances warranted reconsideration.

The dispute has heightened concerns over funding arrangements for Nigeria’s public universities and the implementation of agreements between the Federal Government and university-based unions.

For the affected lecturers, the immediate issue remains the resolution of the payment dispute, while the university management has appealed against what it described as the sensationalisation of the matter.

The strike is expected to continue until ASUU-UNIBEN reviews its position and reaches a resolution with the university management over the disputed payments.