Kano Zone of ASUU warns of fresh crisis over delayed agreement implementation, welfare issues

The Kano Zone of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has warned that the Federal Government’s delay in fully implementing the 2025 agreement reached with the union could trigger fresh industrial unrest across Nigerian universities.

Speaking during a press conference held at Bayero University, Kano, the Zonal Coordinator of ASUU Kano Zone, Abdulkadir Muhammad, said the union’s patience was being overstretched by what it described as the government’s fragmented and poorly coordinated implementation of the agreement signed in December 2025.

Muhammad said the failure of the Federal Government to constitute the Implementation Monitoring Committee (IMC), meant to oversee the execution of the agreement, had created loopholes that allowed selective compliance by some federal and state universities.

According to him, components of the Consolidated Academic Staff Salary Scale, including Consolidated Academic Tool Allowances, Earned Academic Allowances and Professorial Allowances, were being implemented partially by some university authorities.

The ASUU Kano Zone comprises Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria; Bayero University, Kano; Kaduna State University; Kano University of Science and Technology, Wudil; Federal University Dutse; Northwest University Kano; Sule Lamido University, Kafin Hausa; and the Federal University of Technology, Babura.

The union also criticised some state governors and university administrators for allegedly refusing to implement the salary aspects of the agreement despite participating in the renegotiation process.

Muhammad further expressed concern over the Federal Government’s proposed National Research and Innovation Development Fund announced by the Minister of Education, Maruf Tunji Alausa, saying ASUU was excluded from the process.

He faulted the minister’s reference to a proposed $500 million research funding package, insisting that the 2025 agreement already provided a framework for research funding through the proposed National Research Council.

ASUU also raised concerns over unresolved welfare issues affecting lecturers, including unpaid arrears from the 25–35 per cent salary award, promotion arrears, unpaid third-party deductions, pension remittances, salary shortfalls linked to the Integrated Personnel and Payroll Information System (IPPIS), and the withheld three-and-a-half months’ salaries from the 2022 ASUU strike.

The union described the continued withholding of salaries under the “no work, no pay” policy as inhumane and unfair to academics who, according to it, continued research and community service activities during industrial actions.

Muhammad said retired academics were also suffering neglect, especially in state universities where pension payments remained unpaid for years, while retirees under the Pension Fund Administrators were yet to benefit from harmonised pensions due to delays by the National Pension Commission.
The union called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to urgently address salary delays, pension challenges and welfare concerns to preserve industrial harmony in public universities.

On policy matters, ASUU opposed the Federal Government’s decision to reverse the mother-tongue policy in early childhood education in favour of English language instruction, describing the move as regressive and unsupported by educational research.

The union also rejected the proposed establishment of a Nigerian campus of Coventry University under the Transnational Education framework, arguing that the initiative could undermine Nigeria’s university system.

ASUU equally criticised the compulsory enrollment of academics into the Nigeria Education Repository Databank, warning that the policy could violate provisions of the Nigeria Data Protection Act and threaten university autonomy.

The union further condemned plans by the Federal Government to abolish courses considered “irrelevant” in public universities, insisting that disciplines in the humanities and social sciences remain essential for national development and the acquisition of critical thinking and communication skills.

Muhammad also decried what the union described as rising cases of maladministration in universities, including irregular appointments, financial mismanagement and abuse of office by some vice-chancellors and governing council officials.

ASUU particularly condemned the attempt by the Niger State Government to reclaim part of the Bosso campus of the Federal University of Technology, Minna, warning that such action could set a dangerous precedent for federal educational institutions nationwide.

On the state of the nation, the union expressed concern over worsening insecurity, economic hardship and political tensions ahead of the 2027 general elections.

It said increasing cases of terrorism, banditry, kidnappings and communal conflicts had deepened poverty and uncertainty across the country, while inflation and poor governance continued to erode citizens’ living standards.

The union urged governments at all levels to fulfil their constitutional responsibility of protecting lives and property while implementing policies that would restore economic stability and public confidence.

ASUU warned that failure to faithfully implement the 2025 agreement could disrupt academic activities in universities and trigger avoidable industrial crises.