ASUU threatens strike as 200 lecturers leave Kaduna Varsity

The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has expressed concern over more than 200 lecturers leaving Kaduna State University (KASU). Dr Abubakar Abdullahi, chairman of ASUU-KASU, revealed this during a press conference on Monday in Kaduna. The lecturers, including professors, departed due to poor conditions of service and the non-implementation of the 2025 Federal Government-ASUU Agreement.

ASUU has given the Kaduna State Government and university authorities a two-week ultimatum to implement and domesticate the agreement. If they fail to act, a total and indefinite strike is threatened. Many of the lecturers who left secured positions at newer universities within and outside Kaduna State, attributing this to the poor remuneration and declining welfare conditions at KASU.

The 2025 Federal Government-ASUU Agreement, which took effect in January 2026, provides improved conditions of service for academic staff in Nigerian universities. However, the implementation at KASU has yet to commence. Many federal universities and some state-owned institutions have already implemented the agreement, and some have announced timelines for paying accrued arrears.

The delay has made KASU academic staff among the least-paid university workers nationwide. Abdullahi emphasized that the situation contrasts with the university's previous reputation for prioritizing staff welfare. He warned that continued delay would lead to the accumulation of salary arrears from January 2026 and negatively affect teaching, research, and academic development.

The union congress met on August 12 and resolved to declare an industrial dispute over the matter, aligning with a resolution of ASUU’s National Executive Council. The ultimatum follows established procedures for resolving industrial disputes, allowing authorities to take concrete steps toward implementation. Abdullahi listed unresolved local issues affecting union members, including university autonomy, excessive workload, promotion arrears, and death benefits.

He urged relevant authorities to address the concerns urgently and reaffirmed the union's commitment to pursuing its demands through lawful means, hoping for a timely response from government and university authorities.