The University of Port Harcourt (UNIPORT) chapter of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has declared an indefinite strike over outstanding salary payments, responsibility allowances and other issues affecting academic staff.
The union announced the industrial action after an emergency congress held on Wednesday, September 16, 2026, following the expiration of a deadline given to the university management to address its demands. The development was reported on September 18.
According to ASUU, some lecturers at the University of Port Harcourt had not received their full salaries for June, July and August 2026. The union also raised concerns over outstanding responsibility allowances owed to members.
The UNIPORT ASUU branch said its members in the School of Health Sciences under the Consolidated Medical Salary Structure (CONMESS) and Consolidated Health Salary Structure (CONHESS) were also affected by unpaid responsibility allowances. The union further alleged that its members had been excluded from some monthly allowance payments made to members of other unions.
The union said it had previously engaged the university management over the outstanding issues. According to ASUU, the management met with its representatives on September 11 and promised to respond to the demands within the period set by the union.
ASUU said it gave the university management 48 working hours to address the issues, with the deadline expiring at midnight on Tuesday, September 15. Following the failure to meet the demands within the stipulated period, the union said its emergency congress resolved to commence the indefinite industrial action.
The union has directed its members not to participate in lectures, examinations, examination invigilation, official assignments or statutory meetings for the duration of the strike. It has also constituted a Strike Monitoring Team to monitor compliance with the directive across the university’s campuses and centres.
The UNIPORT strike comes amid wider concerns within Nigeria’s university system over the implementation of agreements between ASUU and the Federal Government. However, the specific issues cited by the University of Port Harcourt branch include outstanding salaries and responsibility allowances owed by the institution.
The development is expected to affect academic activities at the University of Port Harcourt as lecturers withdraw their services indefinitely. The duration of the disruption will depend on the outcome of discussions between the university management and the ASUU branch.
For students, parents and other members of the university community, the immediate concern is when academic activities will resume. ASUU has indicated that the strike will remain in force until its demands are addressed.
EduTimes Africa, a product of Education Times Africa, is a magazine publication that aims to lend its support to close the yawning gap in Africa's educational development.