ASUU ACCUSES FEDERAL, LAGOS GOVERNMENTS OF NON-IMPLEMENTATION OF 2025 UNIVERSITY AGREEMENT, WARNS OF NEW INDUSTRIAL CRISIS
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By Aishat Momoh. O.
The Lagos Zone of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has accused both the Federal Government and the Lagos State Government of failing to fully implement key components of the 2025 FGN–ASUU Agreement, particularly in the areas of unpaid allowances, salary arrears and staff welfare.
The union warned that the continued delay in meeting agreed obligations was worsening tensions in Nigeria’s university system and accelerating brain drain across institutions.
ASUU made the allegations on Wednesday during a press conference held at the University of Lagos, where it reviewed the status of implementation of the agreement across universities within its Lagos Zone.
The zone comprises the University of Lagos, Lagos State University, Lagos State University of Science and Technology, Lagos State University of Education, Olabisi Onabanjo University, Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, and Tai Solarin University of Education.
Reading the communique, the ASUU Zonal Coordinator, Adesola Nassir, said implementation of the agreement had remained inconsistent, particularly regarding allowances and outstanding salary obligations.
He said although the agreement followed nearly a decade of negotiations, government implementation had fallen short of expectations, especially on key financial commitments.
ASUU listed several unresolved issues, including Consolidated Academic Allowances, Earned Academic Allowances, and Professorial Allowances, which it said had not been fully integrated into the Consolidated University Academic Staff Salary Structure as agreed.
The union also highlighted unpaid arrears such as the 25–35 per cent salary award, promotion arrears, third-party deductions, pension remittances, salary shortfalls linked to the IPPIS system, and the withheld three-and-a-half months’ salaries from the 2022 industrial action.
“We are perturbed that the government failed to take into consideration the strength of each university to adequately cover the shortfall in the salary component of recurrent cost,” ASUU said, adding that implementation had become “haphazard.”
The union further criticised the government’s handling of university funding obligations, particularly reimbursement of funds used by institutions to bridge implementation gaps.
It described the continued non-remittance of deducted funds as unacceptable, stating that “to make deductions from salaries and fail to remit the same is fraudulent and criminal.”
ASUU warned that the situation was driving experienced academics out of Nigerian universities and weakening the country’s educational system.
“The various fronts from which our membership is being oppressed cannot augur well for occupational satisfaction and commitment to the university system,” it said, adding that continued neglect could lead to further loss of skilled personnel to foreign institutions.
The union also directed criticism at the Lagos State Government, urging Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu to urgently implement the agreement across state-owned universities, including LASU, LASUSTECH and LASUED.
It argued that Lagos, given its economic strength, should not lag in fulfilling obligations to academic staff.
“If any state should be first to implement the agreement, and even enhance it, it should be Lagos State for many obvious reasons,” the communique stated.
ASUU warned that unresolved issues affecting promotion, welfare and salary arrears were already destabilising university administration and morale.
The union cautioned that failure to address outstanding financial commitments could trigger fresh industrial action, stressing that “fragile peace in the universities” could no longer be guaranteed if the situation persists.
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