Academic activities have been disrupted at the Nasarawa State University, Keffi and Imo State University, Owerri, following indefinite strikes by their chapters of the Academic Staff Union of Universities.
The development came as the ASUU National Executive Council authorised 20 university branches to commence processes towards industrial action over the alleged non-implementation of the 2025 agreement between the Federal Government and the union.
The decision was contained in the resolutions of the union’s NEC meeting held at the University of Abuja on Saturday and Sunday, August 8 and 9, 2026, and contained in a statement by the ASUU President, Prof. Chris Piwuna, on Monday.
According to the resolutions, the affected branches were directed to issue 14-day ultimatums and, where their demands were not met, proceed on strike.
“Consequently, NEC resolved that permission be granted to the following branches that have approached NEC for an action, to institute the procedures to embark on strike in order to press home their demands. This is to be preceded by the issuance of a 14-day ultimatum,” Piwuna stated.
The universities include Nasarawa State University, Keffi; Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida University, Lapai; University of Medical Sciences, Ondo; Gombe State University; Plateau State University; Adekunle Ajasin University; Adeyemi Federal University of Education; Abia State University; Imo State University; Niger Delta University; and Taraba State University.
Others are the University of Africa, Toru-Orua; Bayelsa Medical University; Ambrose Alli University; Olusegun Agagu University of Science and Technology; University of Education and Entrepreneurship, Akamkpa; Emmanuel Alayande University of Education; Kaduna State University; Aliko Dangote University of Science and Technology; and Northwest University, Kano.
The NEC said the decision followed concerns over what it described as the slow implementation of the 2025 federal government-ASUU agreement and the failure of several state-owned universities to implement the agreement.
He further directed the union’s branches to act after the expiration of the ultimatums, noting that branches in the Sokoto Zone had already issued two-week ultimatums.
Meanwhile, ASUU chapters at Nasarawa State University and Imo State University have already commenced indefinite strikes.
At Nasarawa State University, the chapter declared a total and indefinite strike over alleged unpaid entitlements estimated at more than N3bn.
The chapter chairman, Dr Zubairu Loko, said the outstanding payments included Earned Academic Allowance, consequential adjustments arising from the implementation of the national minimum wage and the Federal Government-approved salary increase for university lecturers.
Loko said the union had held several meetings with the university management, Governing Council and Nasarawa State Government to resolve the issues but without success.
“Enough is enough. We have withdrawn our services. There will be no teaching, no supervision, no research until our money is paid,” he said.
At Imo State University, the ASUU chapter also commenced an indefinite strike over the failure of the Imo State Government to implement the 2025 agreement between the union and the Federal Government.
The union said it had waited for nearly eight months for the agreement to be implemented, noting that some other state universities had already commenced implementation.
The union noted that its grievances include the continued deduction of the university’s internally generated revenue into the Treasury Single Account, alleged erosion of university autonomy, non-payment of promotion arrears dating back to 2016 and outstanding salaries owed some members.
The union also complained about the withholding of check-off dues since 2009.
ASUU-IMSU said it would remain open to dialogue but would not suspend the strike until its demands were addressed.
The ASUU NEC also resolved that an emergency meeting would be convened at the end of August or early September to review developments and take further decisions.
The union had earlier reaffirmed its “no-pay, no-work” position, allowing branches to take action where salaries remained unpaid after the third day of the following month.
ASUU also directed branches in federal universities where salaries were underpaid, including universities of agriculture, to take action to press their demands.
