The President of ASUU, Professor Christopher Piwuna, made this known on Thursday while speaking at a public lecture held at Sa’adu Zungur University, Yuli Campus, in Bauchi State. He explained that an agreement on a new salary structure had been reached in December 2025, with implementation initially scheduled to begin in January 2026.
According to Piwuna, the union’s four-day ultimatum takes effect from Thursday, emphasizing that the Federal Government must urgently commence payment under the newly approved salary arrangement, which followed prolonged negotiations. He warned that failure to comply within the given timeframe would trigger a strong response from the union, while also expressing concern over the government’s repeated failure to honour past agreements—an issue that has frequently led to disputes and industrial actions.
On the proposed establishment of a branch of Coventry University in Nigeria after President Bola Tinubu’s visit to London, Piwuna said ASUU would oppose the move, arguing that it could undermine the quality and relevance of Nigerian universities. He described the plan as a form of educational colonialism, insisting that the union remains committed to strengthening the country’s university system rather than allowing foreign institutions to dominate it.
Piwuna further noted that the move comes at a time when the foreign institution is reportedly facing declining admission applications globally, and advised the Federal Government to instead partner with ASUU to improve local universities for the benefit of current and future students. Earlier, on March 11, 2026, ASUU had directed members in some branches to withdraw their services over delays in the payment of June 2025 salary arrears, as well as challenges linked to the transition to the Government Integrated Financial Management Information System (GIFMIS).
Towards the end of 2025, the union also issued multiple ultimatums—including 14-day and one-month notices—pressing the government to conclude the renegotiation and implementation of the 2009 ASUU-Federal Government agreement. In a related development, on March 25, 2026, federal civil servants outside ASUU also threatened a nationwide strike over unpaid wage awards, underscoring broader labour tensions across the public sector.
Source: https://www.channelstv.com/
