ASUU-KASU Gives Kaduna Government Two Weeks to Act, Threatens Indefinite Strike

The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Kaduna State University (KASU) chapter, has issued a two-week ultimatum to the Kaduna State Government and university authorities. The union is demanding the full implementation and domestication of the 2025 Federal Government-ASUU Agreement.

ASUU-KASU warned that failure to address the issues within the stipulated period could trigger a total, comprehensive and indefinite strike at the university. The union also raised concerns over the departure of more than 200 lecturers, including professors, which it attributed to poor conditions of service and inadequate remuneration.

The chairman of the ASUU-KASU chapter, Dr. Abubakar Abdullahi, issued the warning on Monday during a press conference at the union’s secretariat at Kaduna State University.

ASUU Raises Alarm Over Lecturers’ Exodus

Abdullahi said more than 200 academic staff had left KASU because of the university’s poor conditions of service. According to him, many of the affected lecturers have moved to newly established universities in Kaduna State and other parts of the country.

He said the departure of experienced academics, including professors, was threatening the university’s academic strength. Moreover, he warned that replacing highly experienced lecturers could take several years and require significant resources.

The ASUU-KASU chairman said the situation had become more troubling because the university previously had a reputation for prioritising staff welfare. He therefore urged the relevant authorities to act quickly to reverse the trend.

Union Demands Implementation of 2025 Agreement

Abdullahi said the 2025 FGN-ASUU Agreement took effect in January 2026, but its implementation had yet to commence at KASU. He noted that the agreement provides for improved conditions of service for academic staff in Nigerian universities.

“The union has written several letters to the university management, Governing Council and the Visitor to the university, the Governor of Kaduna State”, urging them to domesticate and implement the agreement in accordance with the law that established the institution.

He added that the union had also engaged stakeholders within and outside Kaduna State to intervene in the dispute. According to him, those efforts were aimed at maintaining peace, stability and industrial harmony at the university.

However, Abdullahi expressed concern that more than eight months after the agreement was signed, KASU had yet to begin implementation. He said several federal universities and state universities had either implemented the agreement or announced timelines for doing so, including arrangements for the payment of accrued arrears.

The delay, he argued, had left KASU academic staff among the least-paid university workers in the country. Consequently, he warned that continued inaction would result in the accumulation of salary arrears dating back to January 2026.

Outstanding Welfare Issues Raise Further Concerns

Beyond the implementation of the federal agreement, ASUU-KASU identified several local issues that remain unresolved. These include university autonomy, excessive workload, promotion arrears, death benefits and group life insurance coverage.

The union also listed the 25 and 35 per cent wage awards and pension remittances among the outstanding matters requiring urgent attention. It warned that continued delays could further worsen staff dissatisfaction and undermine industrial harmony.

The concerns come as universities continue to adjust to the 2025 FGN-ASUU Agreement. The National Universities Commission has established a monitoring committee to oversee the implementation of the agreement across the university system.

Two-Week Ultimatum Precedes Indefinite Strike

The ASUU-KASU chairman said the union’s Congress met on August 12, 2026, and resolved to declare an industrial dispute. He said the decision followed the resolution of ASUU’s National Executive Council meeting held at the University of Abuja on August 8 and 9, 2026.

Accordingly, the union issued a two-week ultimatum to the university authorities, the Kaduna State Government and other relevant stakeholders. The period, he explained, would allow the authorities to take concrete steps towards implementing and domesticating the agreement.

Abdullahi warned that failure to resolve the issues within the two-week period could lead to a total, comprehensive and indefinite strike. He said the union had followed established procedures governing industrial disputes before issuing the ultimatum.

ASUU-KASU therefore urged the university management and other relevant authorities to treat the demands with urgency. The union said satisfactory action was necessary to avert industrial disharmony and preserve peace and stability at the institution.

It also appealed to parents, stakeholders and well-meaning Nigerians to intervene and help prevent another disruption of academic activities. Meanwhile, the union reaffirmed its commitment to pursuing its demands, declaring:

“Aluta Continua, Victoria Ascerta.”