The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Sokoto Zone, has threatened to embark on industrial action if the governments o...
The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Sokoto Zone, has threatened to embark on industrial action if the governments of Kebbi, Katsina and Zamfara states fail to implement the 2025 Federal Government-ASUU Agreement and address outstanding welfare issues affecting lecturers in their state-owned universities.
The warning was issued on Wednesday at a press conference in Sokoto by the ASUU Zonal Coordinator, Professor Abubakar Sabo.
According to him, the universities affected are (AFUSTA), (UMYUK) and (ZAMSUT).
Professor Sabo said only two of the five universities within the Sokoto Zone had substantially implemented the 2025 ASUU-Federal Government Agreement.
"We are particularly having issues with three state universities in the ASUU Sokoto Zone, namely Abdullahi Fodiyo University of Science and Technology, Aliero, Umaru Musa Yar'adua University, Katsina, and Zamfara State University, Talata Mafara," he said.
He urged the three state governments to urgently implement the agreement to avert what he described as an "eventual and inevitable strike action."
According to him, the position of the union followed resolutions reached at ASUU's Emergency National Executive Council (NEC) meeting held on June 21, 2026, at the Comrade Festus Iyayi Complex, .
Professor Sabo expressed concern over what he described as the non-implementation of the salary components of the agreement, including the mainstreaming of the Consolidated Academic and Technology Allowance (CATA), Earned Academic Allowance (EAA) and Professorial Allowance into the monthly salary structure.
He noted that while several state universities across the country had implemented the agreement, the three institutions in the Sokoto Zone were yet to fully comply.
On AFUSTA, he alleged that lecturers were owed Earned Academic Allowances dating back to 2014, in addition to accumulated promotion arrears and unpaid annual salary increments.
Regarding Umaru Musa Yar'adua University, Professor Sabo commended the administration of Governor for sustaining the payment of Earned Academic Allowance inherited from the previous administration.
However, he said the union was still demanding payment of the arrears arising from the 25 per cent and 35 per cent salary adjustments, as well as the consequential adjustment to the national minimum wage covering a period of 36 months.
He added that the union had engaged the Katsina State Government, the university council and management on the implementation of the 2025 agreement, expressing hope that discussions would soon yield positive results.
On Zamfara State University, Professor Sabo said the institution was grappling with promotion arrears from January 2025 and unremitted third-party deductions.
He warned that continued delays in addressing lecturers' welfare would worsen the brain drain currently affecting Nigerian universities.
Beyond welfare concerns, the ASUU zonal coordinator criticised some recent education policy decisions by the Federal Government, including the reversal of the mother-tongue policy in early childhood education, the proposed establishment of a foreign-affiliated university under the Transnational Education Framework, and the compulsory enrolment of academics into the Nigeria Education Repository Databank (NERD) without adequate consultation.
He also expressed concern over the absence of governing councils in some state universities, saying the development had negatively affected institutional governance and leadership.
Professor Sabo further lamented the worsening insecurity, economic hardship and political tensions across the country, particularly in Northern Nigeria, noting that the situation had continued to disrupt academic activities and threaten the safety of lecturers, students and host communities.
He appealed to the affected state governments to urgently implement the 2025 ASUU-FGN Agreement and settle all outstanding entitlements owed to academic staff.
The union also called on parents, students, civil society organisations and other stakeholders to support its campaign for a well-funded and globally competitive public university system.
While reaffirming ASUU's commitment to dialogue, Professor Sabo warned that the union would not hesitate to embark on industrial action if the issues remained unresolved.
No comments