The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), University of Jos chapter, has called on the Federal Government to fully implement the 2025 FGN-ASUU agreement, warning that continued delays could trigger industrial unrest across Nigerian universities.
The position was made known during a press conference addressed by the Chairperson of the union, Jurbe Joseph Molwus, at the University of Jos.
Molwus said the union convened the briefing to draw the attention of relevant stakeholders to key issues affecting the education sector and the welfare of university lecturers nationwide.
“ASUU is concerned that the momentum and public attention generated from the 14th January 2026 jamboree for the unveiling of the ASUU-FGN agreement is waning due to government’s failure to inaugurate the Implementation Monitoring Committee,” he said.
According to him, the delay in setting up the committee has resulted in distortions in the implementation of the agreement across federal and state universities.
“The Union has observed with grave concern that universities have been selective in the payment of the various aspects of the salary component of the agreement,” Molwus stated.
He explained that while some institutions have implemented parts of the agreement, others are yet to begin due to lack of funding from both federal and state governments.
The ASUU chairperson commended Sa’adu Zungur University and Ekiti State University for fully implementing the salary component of the agreement, urging other universities to follow suit.
“ASUU therefore calls on the federal government to be properly guided by well-thought-out objectives set out for this program as clearly outlined in the new FGN-ASUU agreement,” he added while speaking on the proposed National Research and Innovation Development Fund.
Molwus criticized the Federal Government’s decision to announce the fund without proper consultation with the union, expressing concern over plans to denominate the scheme in United States dollars.
“We therefore suspect that this is another ploy to use this scheme to collect more loans from the neoliberal multinational corporations that have continued to enslave our country with loans,” he said.
The union also lamented unresolved welfare issues affecting lecturers, including withheld salaries, promotion arrears, wage awards, and deductions linked to the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System.
“No country can thrive when the welfare issues of its academics are left unattended,” Molwus declared.
ASUU further condemned what it described as the abandonment of retired lecturers, especially those in state universities, many of whom are owed several years of pension arrears.
“The Union denounces the shabby treatment of our colleagues and calls on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to urgently address these vexatious issues in order to douse tension and restore dignity to the affected members of our Union,” he stated.
On education policies, the union opposed the Federal Government’s move to reverse the mother tongue policy and criticized plans to establish a branch of Coventry University in Nigeria under the transnational education framework.
“Our union therefore rejects any attempt to scrap academic programs in Nigerian universities and shall work with pro-people organizations vehemently resisting,” Molwus said while reacting to proposals to scrap some university courses considered “irrelevant.”
The union also raised concerns over irregular appointments in universities, alleged encroachment on university lands, worsening insecurity, economic hardship, and the tense political climate ahead of the 2027 general elections.
He concluded by urging the Federal Government and other stakeholders to fully implement the 2025 FGN-ASUU agreement and resolve all pending issues in the interest of national stability and the growth of the education sector.
