Academic activities have resumed in several federal universities following the payment of June 2025 salaries to lecturers and other staff of tertiary institutions by the Federal Government.
According to The PUNCH, the payment, which was effected on Tuesday, prompted various branches of the Academic Staff Union of Universities to instruct their members to return to work, ending weeks of stalled lectures caused by unpaid wages.
Recall that many ASUU branches had adopted a “no-pay-no-work” position in response to months of delayed salaries, which were linked to the migration of academic workers from the Integrated Personnel and Payroll Information System to the Government Integrated Financial Management Information System.
At Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University in Bauchi, the ASUU branch chairman, Dr. Haruna Angulu, confirmed that lecturers had resumed work following the salary payment. Similarly, the ASUU chapter at Federal University, Kashere, issued a directive urging its members to return to their duties.
In Jos, a memo from the University’s Bursary Department also confirmed that salaries had been paid, prompting lecturers who had earlier withdrawn their services to resume lectures.
Reacting to the development, the Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, said the payment and resumption were products of continued engagement and goodwill between the Federal Government and stakeholders in the education sector.
“The present atmosphere of stability in our tertiary institutions is not accidental. It is a result of deliberate dialogue, mutual respect, and a sincere commitment by this administration to meet the needs of both academic and non-academic staff,” Alausa stated.
He praised the relative peace that has reigned in the tertiary education sector over the last two years, describing it as unprecedented. “For the first time in decades, our public tertiary institutions have remained open and stable for two years running,” the minister noted.
Dr. Alausa reiterated the government’s dedication to improving the welfare of university staff, adding that their needs were being addressed in phases. “The welfare of our educators is central to our national development goals and remains a key priority under President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda,” he said.
He further assured university communities of the government’s resolve to protect the integrity of the academic calendar and ensure uninterrupted learning. “Our children’s education is sacrosanct. We will continue to collaborate with all education sector unions to keep our institutions open and functional,” Alausa said.