ASUU decries unpaid 2022 salaries, demands education review

Nigeria's Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has called for a sweeping review of the nation's education system, alongside a strong protest against the non-payment of lecturers' withheld salaries from the 2022 strike. ASUU National President, Prof. Chris Piwuna, voiced these concerns during a press conference in Jos, Plateau State.

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In words and deeds, the Federal Government appears to have turned its back on paying the outstanding balance of lecturers’ three-and-half months arising from the 2022 nationwide strike action of ASUU.

Piwuna stated that the Federal Government appears to have abandoned its commitment to paying the remaining portion of lecturers' salaries, which were withheld for three-and-a-half months during the 2022 strike. While ASUU had initially applauded President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for paying four out of the seven-and-a-half months withheld by the previous administration, the outstanding balance has left members deeply dissatisfied.

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The non-payment of the balance has left a strong bitter taste in the mouths of ASUU members.

The union emphasized that its members made significant sacrifices during the strike and that settling the withheld salaries would foster industrial harmony. However, these arguments have seemingly gone unheeded. ASUU's National Executive Council (NEC) has rejected the government's stance and resolved to pursue all legitimate means to ensure the government reciprocates the goodwill shown by ASUU members.

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The signing of the December 2025 FGN-ASUU Agreement was seen by many as a significant move to arrest restiveness among academic staff of Federal and State universities and chart a new path of growth and stability for the Nigerian University System (NUS).

Furthermore, ASUU highlighted ongoing delays in the payment of the 25/35% wage award and promotion arrears. The union urged both Federal and State Governments to expedite these payments to motivate staff and ensure stability in universities. ASUU also criticized the inconsistent implementation of the December 2025 FGN-ASUU Agreement, lamenting that funding challenges prevent Vice-Chancellors from fully realizing the agreement's objectives, leading to potential unrest.

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But he lamented that “the haphazard implementations of the Agreement by governments at the two levels leave much to be desired; making the resurgence of campus unrest inevitable.”