Kaduna, August 18, 2026 — More than 200 lecturers have reportedly left Kaduna State University (KASU) over poor working conditions and the non-implementation of the 2025 Federal Government–Academic Staff Union of Universities (FGN-ASUU) agreement, the university’s ASUU chapter has disclosed.
The ASUU-KASU Chairman, Dr Abubakar Abdullahi, disclosed this on Monday at a press conference in Kaduna, where the union issued a two-week ultimatum to the university management and other relevant authorities to address its demands.
The union warned that failure to commence the full implementation and domestication of the agreement within the stipulated period would trigger a total, comprehensive and indefinite strike.
According to Abdullahi, the 2025 FGN-ASUU Agreement, which took effect in January 2026, provides for improved conditions of service for academic staff across Nigerian universities. However, he said KASU had yet to commence implementation.
The union said it had repeatedly written to the university management, Governing Council and the Visitor to the university, Governor Uba Sani, urging them to domesticate and implement the agreement in line with the law establishing the institution.
Abdullahi expressed concern that more than eight months after the agreement was signed, academic staff at KASU were yet to benefit from its provisions.
He said the delay had contributed to KASU lecturers becoming among the lowest-paid university workers in the country, despite the institution’s previous reputation for prioritising staff welfare.
Lecturers leaving for other universities
The ASUU chairman said the prolonged delay in addressing the issues had contributed to the departure of experienced academic staff, including professors, associate professors and doctorate holders.
According to him, many of the lecturers who left KASU had secured appointments at other universities within and outside Kaduna State.
He warned that losing experienced academics could have serious long-term consequences for the university, noting that replacing highly qualified lecturers could take years.
The union also expressed concern that continued delays could result in the accumulation of salary arrears dating back to January 2026.
Other outstanding demands
Beyond the implementation of the federal agreement, ASUU-KASU identified several local issues affecting its members.
These include university autonomy, excessive workload, promotion arrears, death benefits, group life insurance coverage, the 25 and 35 per cent wage awards and pension remittances.
The union called for the immediate payment of accrued salary arrears and improved remuneration and working conditions for academic staff.
It also urged the university authorities to take urgent steps to halt the continuing exodus of experienced lecturers.
Abdullahi said resolving the issues would not only improve staff welfare but also help KASU retain its academic workforce and maintain stability in teaching, research and learning.
The union said it had engaged several stakeholders within and outside Kaduna State in an effort to resolve the matter and prevent industrial disharmony.
However, the university management had yet to publicly respond to the union’s demands as of the time of filing the report.
Kaduna State Commissioner for Information, Ahmed Maiyaki, also promised to respond to inquiries on the matter but had not done so as of press time.
The development raises fresh concerns about staff retention, quality of teaching and industrial relations in Nigeria’s public university system, coming amid broader debates over the implementation of agreements between the Federal Government and university workers.
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