State universities should do well to implement agreement with ASUU
Failure to implement the 2025 agreement between the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) and the federal government is once again threatening to disrupt the academic calendar in some public-owned universities. Last week, the Kaduna State University (KASU) chapter of ASUU gave a two-week ultimatum to the authorities to address their grievances. The union’s chairman, Abubakar Abdullahi, said failure to implement the latest agreement which became operational in January 2026, in addition to deteriorating conditions of service had led to the exit of about 200 experienced academic staff. But the Vice Chancellor of KASU, Abdullahi Musa, has rejected the claims, arguing that staff movements arising from resignation, retirement, and the pursuit of professional opportunities were a routine within the university system.
However, Musa also acknowledged that some issues relating to staff welfare remained unresolved, but that the university management is committed to addressing them. He stated that the administration of Governor Uba Sani had taken several measures to improve the welfare of staff and urged KASU to reconsider any action that could impose additional hardship on students and their parents. He said, for instance, that the state government has released more than N800 million for staff welfare over the past three years, and an additional N146 million to clear outstanding allowances inherited from previous administrations. The Vice Chancellor listed other interventions by the state government since the beginning of 2026 including N200 million in overhead funding for essential operations, and another N300 million for the accreditation of over 57 academic programmes and resource-verification exercises.
Even though ASUU acknowledged some of the efforts of the government, it insists that many significant issues affecting academic staff remain unresolved. Besides the non-implementation of the 2025 agreement, it listed lack of university autonomy, excessive workload, promotion arrears, death benefits, group life insurance, and other related grievances. Ironically, Kaduna is one of the few states in the country that allocates up to 25 per cent of its annual budget to the education sector. But critics say there are some gaps in implementation. Considering that more allocations now accrue to the three tiers of government from the Federation Account following the removal of fuel subsidy and merging of the Naira exchange rates, there is no excuse for the neglect of state-owned universities.
However, the dispute over the 2025 ASUU and the federal government pact is not an isolated one. Indeed, the federal government has been accused of a “lackadaisical attitude” towards the full implementation of the agreement. But the states are worse off. Many state-owned universities are yet to implement the terms, including salary reviews and allowances. Last Monday, ASUU directed about 20 state universities across the country to embark on strike after a 14-day ultimatum over the “haphazard implementation” of the 2025 renegotiated agreement. ASUU President, Christopher Piwuna, said the decision was sanctioned by the union’s national executive council (NEC).
The agreement between both parties provides for the payment of the consolidated academic tools allowance (CATA), earned academic allowance (EAA) and professorial allowance to improve staff welfare and promote excellence in teaching and research. However, only about 10 state universities have reportedly complied with the agreement while more than 50 others like Nasarawa State University, Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida University, University of Medical Sciences, Ondo; Gombe State University; Plateau State University, Bokkos; Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma, Abia State University, are yet to meet their financial obligations.
After nearly 16 years of a stalemate over its implementation, the federal government signed a renegotiated agreement with ASUU in January this year to address the incessant strikes in the public tertiary institutions. We call on the authorities at the federal and in the 36 states to do well and abide by the latest agreement. We cannot afford another stretch of disruptions in the universities.