ASUU Lecturers Resume Work as FG Pays June Salaries After Five-Month Delay

The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has directed its members nationwide to resume academic activities following the payment of long-overdue June 2025 salaries by the Federal Government. The development ends weeks of tension and work stoppages across several campuses where lecturers had adopted a strict “no-pay-no-work” stance in response to five consecutive months of unpaid wages.

The disbursement of salaries, confirmed by university authorities and local ASUU chapters, comes after widespread agitation linked to delays resulting from the transition of staff payroll from the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS) to the Government Integrated Financial Management Information System (GIFMIS). This transition was coordinated by the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation.

At Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University, Bauchi, ASUU chairperson Haruna Angulu confirmed that members had resumed duties. A similar directive was issued by the ASUU chapter of the Federal University of Kashere, while at the University of Jos, a circular from the bursary department confirmed the crediting of delayed salaries, prompting lecturers to end their boycott.

Speaking on the development, Minister of Education, Tunji Alausa, attributed the return of stability in Nigeria’s tertiary institutions to ongoing dialogue and mutual respect between government and unions. He noted that the current uninterrupted academic calendar — a rare occurrence in the past few decades — reflects the commitment of the Tinubu administration to resolving longstanding grievances in the education sector.

“It is not by coincidence that public tertiary institutions have remained open and stable for the past two years,” Alausa stated. “We are meeting demands in phases and doing so respectfully and consistently. This government remains committed to the welfare of university staff and the education of our children, which is non-negotiable.”

The Minister further assured that engagements with all unions in the education sector will continue to ensure the academic calendar remains intact and institutions do not return to prolonged closures.

ASUU, which had previously issued a two-week ultimatum demanding the payment of outstanding salaries, has yet to confirm whether it considers the June payment as sufficient to fully withdraw its strike threat, or if further actions will follow should other demands remain unaddressed.