The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has directed its members across Nigeria to stop work because of unpaid salaries for June 2025. The union is acting based on its “No Pay, No Work” policy, which says lecturers must not continue working if they are not paid on time.
Already, lecturers at the University of Jos and the University of Abuja have stopped working in line with this directive. ASUU President, Professor Chris Piwuna, explained that the decision came from a National Executive Council (NEC) meeting, where it was agreed that if salaries are delayed beyond the third day of any month, members should withdraw their services until they are paid.
Professor Piwuna criticized the government’s poor attitude toward paying lecturers, saying the salaries are already small and now even come in late. He pointed out that problems started when university workers were moved from the Integrated Personnel Payroll and Information System (IPPIS) to the Government Integrated Financial Management Information System (GIFMIS).
Since then, lecturers have faced serious hardship due to regular delays in payment. He also said that the union has tried to fix the issue by speaking with officials, including the Minister of Education and the Accountant General, but nothing has changed.
Because of this, ASUU decided to fully enforce the “No Pay, No Work” resolution. Piwuna stated that every university where salaries are still unpaid must stop working, as agreed by the union’s leadership. He believes the delay in payment is not accidental but a deliberate act by people within the Accountant General’s office.
According to him, the system used to process salaries is working fine, and whenever the money is eventually sent, lecturers receive the full amount. So, the delay is not because of a technical problem but because some people are choosing not to release the funds on time.
In addition to the delayed salaries, the ASUU president also warned about another issue that could lead to further problems. The government still owes ₦10 billion in Earned Academic Allowance (EAA). Out of the ₦50 billion meant to be paid to lecturers, only ₦40 billion has been released. He urged the government to pay the remaining ₦10 billion quickly to avoid another round of protests or strikes.
At the University of Jos, the local ASUU chairman, Jurbe Molwus, confirmed that members have stopped attending classes and meetings due to the salary delay. He said this decision followed both the NEC’s directive and the agreement of the university’s ASUU congress.
He also mentioned that the strike will happen every time salaries are not paid by the third day of a new month, and a monitoring team has been set up to ensure all members comply. Lecturers at the University of Abuja have also joined the strike.
While the branch chairman did not respond to calls, a spokesperson for the university said only the ASUU leadership can speak on the matter. ASUU has made it clear that they want to work, but they cannot continue under such conditions. Until salaries are paid on time and the government keeps its promises, the strike will go on.
