The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has warned that state-owned universities in Lagos, Gombe and Plateau may be plunged into another round of industrial action if their respective governments fail to implement the 2025 agreement reached between the Federal Government and the union.
The union expressed concern that six months after the agreement came into effect on January 1, 2026, several state governments that participated in the negotiations are yet to implement the improved salary structure and welfare provisions for lecturers.
At separate press briefings in Lagos and Gombe on Thursday, ASUU leaders said the delay has continued to fuel frustration among academic staff and could lead to avoidable disruptions to academic activities.
In Lagos, ASUU’s Zonal Coordinator, Adesola Nassir, urged Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu to urgently approve the implementation of the agreement in the Lagos State University, Lagos State University of Education and Lagos State University of Science and Technology.
According to him, prolonged delays have negatively affected staff morale and could eventually undermine teaching quality, institutional stability and the academic calendar if left unresolved.
Nassir noted that discussions between the union and representatives of the Lagos State Government over the past six months had yet to produce any meaningful outcome, despite repeated engagements.
He maintained that ASUU remains committed to dialogue but warned that members would not hesitate to take lawful steps to protect their welfare if the government continues to ignore the agreement.
The union also called for the resolution of other outstanding issues in Lagos State universities, including unpaid entitlements, unresolved disciplinary matters involving union officials and concerns over the dismissal of some ASUU members.
Similarly, the Bauchi Zone of ASUU accused the governments of Gombe and Plateau states of failing to implement the same agreement at Gombe State University and Plateau State University.
Speaking in Gombe, the Bauchi Zonal Coordinator, Timothy-Aku Namo, said the continued delay has worsened the welfare of lecturers and heightened dissatisfaction among academic staff.
He disclosed that a forensic review conducted by ASUU’s National Executive Council found that only Sa’adu Zungur University and Ekiti State University had fully implemented the 2025 agreement among the state universities assessed.
The union appealed to the visitors of the affected universities to intervene promptly, warning that failure to address the situation could result in another round of strikes capable of disrupting academic activities across the affected institutions.
The 2025 Federal Government-ASUU agreement, signed in December 2025 and effective from January 2026, provides for a 40 per cent salary increase for lecturers and introduces the Consolidated Academic Tools Allowance to support research and publication expenses.
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