The Sokoto Zonal Chapter of the Academic Staff Union of Universities, which comprises 10 universities across Nigeria’s North-West, has warned that continued neglect of lecturers’ welfare and the slow, selective implementation of the 2025 Federal Government ASUU Agreement could trigger avoidable industrial unrest in the country’s tertiary education system.
The union raised the alarm while expressing concern over what it described as the distorted and inconsistent execution of the agreement, accusing both federal and state governments of failing to fully implement key provisions of the deal publicly presented in January 2026.
Speaking under the leadership of its Zonal Coordinator, Comrade Abubakar Sabo, the union said the failure to integrate the agreement into national fiscal and monetary frameworks had created bureaucratic delays, inconsistencies, and selective compliance by some university administrators.
“The Sokoto Zone is deeply disturbed that several federal and state universities are yet to fully implement major components of the 2025 FGN ASUU Agreement,” Sabo stated.
According to him, unresolved issues include academic and professorial allowances, earned academic allowances, promotion arrears, salary shortfalls, annual increments, and unpaid third-party deductions affecting lecturers across universities in the zone.
“We call on both the federal and state governments to faithfully implement every component of the agreement in the interest of industrial harmony, stability and sustainable development of Nigerian universities,” he said.
The union further lamented the continued neglect of welfare-related concerns affecting academics nationwide, including outstanding 25–35 per cent salary award arrears, unpaid promotion benefits, withheld salaries linked to the 2022 ASUU strike action, delayed pension payments, and lack of pension harmonisation for retired lecturers.
ASUU also highlighted challenges in state-owned universities within the Sokoto Zone, particularly the non-implementation of the 40 per cent peculiar allowance and failure to pay earned academic allowances for parallel and special academic sessions.
It cited cases involving Sokoto State University and Shehu Shagari University of Education, alleging that lecturers handling multiple academic sessions were yet to receive their due entitlements.
The union further accused some institutions of failing to remit cooperative deductions and union dues, while others were said to owe promotion arrears and salary increments dating back to 2020.
“Universities cannot function effectively where lecturers are denied their legitimate entitlements for years. Nigerian academics deserve dignity, fair treatment and prompt payment of their lawful earnings,” Sabo declared.
He warned that continued delay in addressing the issues could escalate into widespread industrial disputes capable of disrupting academic activities nationwide.
On national education policy, the Sokoto Zone aligned with ASUU’s National Executive Council in rejecting several recent policy proposals in the education sector.
Among them was the reported reversal of the mother-tongue policy in early childhood education, which the union said lacked adequate empirical justification.
It also criticised the proposed establishment of foreign-affiliated universities under the Transnational Education Framework, arguing that such initiatives could undermine local institutions and weaken Nigeria’s higher education system.
ASUU further expressed reservations over compulsory enrolment of academics into the Nigerian Educational Repository Data system without broad stakeholder consultation.
The union also opposed plans to phase out certain humanities and social science disciplines under labour market reform efforts.
“All academic disciplines remain relevant to national growth and societal advancement. Nigeria’s unemployment crisis is not caused by academic programmes but by poor economic policies, weak governance, corruption and misplaced national priorities,” the zonal coordinator stressed.
The union also condemned rising cases of maladministration, lack of transparency, and politically influenced appointments in Nigerian universities.
It warned that irregular academic designations and questionable appointments were undermining the integrity, autonomy, and global reputation of the university system.
“University leadership appointments must strictly be guided by merit, due process, accountability and transparency,” the union insisted.
On security, ASUU expressed concern over worsening insecurity, economic hardship, and political tensions across the country, especially in the northern region.
It noted that banditry, terrorism, kidnapping, and communal conflicts were increasingly disrupting academic activities and threatening the safety of staff, students, and host communities.
“Many communities have been displaced, while staff and students in several institutions now operate under constant fear and uncertainty,” Sabo said.
The union therefore called on governments at all levels to prioritise security, address poverty and unemployment, and create conditions necessary for stable educational and national development.
The Sokoto Zone reaffirmed its commitment to defending the rights of academics and sustaining its advocacy for improved funding, welfare, and autonomy of public universities across Nigeria.
