Academic activities at Sokoto State University may face another round of disruption as the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Sokoto State University branch, has given the Sokoto State Government a two-week deadline to settle outstanding entitlements owed its members.
The ultimatum followed a congress of the union held on September 8, 2026, where members reviewed previous agreements with the government and assessed the progress made on unresolved welfare issues.
According to a statement signed by the branch Chairman, Dr. Bello Musa, and Secretary, Comrade Zulkallaini Shehu, representatives of the union met with officials of the Sokoto State Ministry for Higher Education on September 7. During the meeting, the ministry reportedly assured ASUU that the outstanding issues would be addressed within two weeks and pledged to present the union’s demands to the Executive Governor and Visitor to the university.
While welcoming the latest assurance, the union expressed concerns over what it described as a history of unfulfilled promises by the state government.
ASUU noted that several of the unresolved issues had already formed part of agreements reached with the government on March 4, 2024, and again on April 28, 2026, during discussions involving the Ministry for Higher Education and matters relating to the ASUU/FGN Agreement 2025.
The union acknowledged that the government had partially implemented the salary component of the agreement, making Sokoto State University the first state-owned university in the North-West to record such progress. However, it maintained that several critical components of the agreement remain outstanding.
Among the unresolved issues are the payment of Earned Academic Allowance (EAA), non-remittance of third-party deductions, promotion arrears, arrears arising from the 25–35 per cent salary increment, and accumulated annual increment arrears.
Despite its reservations, the congress resolved to give the government the benefit of the doubt by allowing the newly agreed two-week period to elapse.
However, ASUU warned that failure to fulfil the commitments within the stipulated timeframe would trigger industrial action capable of disrupting academic activities across the institution.
According to the union, such action could affect lectures, statutory meetings and other academic responsibilities involving its members.
The union identified five major demands it expects the government to address within the deadline. These include the full implementation of the salary component of the ASUU/FGN Agreement 2025, payment of outstanding Earned Academic Allowance, remittance of outstanding third-party deductions, settlement of arrears linked to the 25–35 per cent salary increase, and payment of accumulated promotion arrears.
ASUU also appealed to residents and stakeholders in Sokoto State to encourage the government to honour its commitments, stressing that resolving the issues would help preserve industrial harmony and prevent disruptions to teaching, learning and other academic activities at the university.
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