The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) chapter at the University of Jos (UNIJOS) has declared an indefinite strike over the delayed payment of lecturers’ March 2026 salaries and unpaid Earned Academic Allowances (EAA).
In a statement issued on Tuesday, Jurbe Molwus, chairman of ASUU UNIJOS, said the strike would commence on Wednesday, with lecturers withdrawing all services, including lectures, examinations, and statutory meetings, until their demands are met.
Molwus said the decision followed due process and aligns with resolutions of the union’s national executive council (NEC) and standing congress.
“After following due process, we request all members to abstain from lectures, exams, and statutory meetings as our March 2026 salary is yet to be paid despite our patience,” the statement reads.
He attributed the delay to the office of the accountant-general of the federation (AGF), noting that the university’s bursary department had already fulfilled its role in the salary payment process.
The chairman urged members to comply fully with the directive, warning that the branch’s strike monitoring team would be activated to ensure adherence.
BACKGROUND
The latest action adds to growing concerns over salary delays across federal universities, despite a recently renegotiated agreement between ASUU and the federal government.
After nearly 16 years of stalled negotiations, the federal government signed a new agreement with ASUU on January 14, 2026, following intensive talks concluded in December 2025. The agreement was aimed at addressing recurring industrial actions in Nigeria’s public tertiary institutions.
However, since February, lecturers across several federal universities have reported delays in salary payments.
In March, ASUU members at the University of Lagos (UNILAG) also embarked on an indefinite strike over the non-payment of full salaries, although the action was later suspended after engagements with the university management.
Christopher Piwuna, president of ASUU, had attributed the delays to challenges in implementing the new salary structure, particularly the delay in the passage of the 2026 budget.
He said while the government has shown willingness to implement the agreement, full execution remains dependent on the approval and signing of the 2026 budget into law.
Piwuna had also warned that the union could be compelled to take action if lecturers are not paid in line with the terms of the renegotiated agreement.
As of the time of filing this report, ASUU had yet to issue a nationwide position on the status of March salary payments or its next line of action.
