The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has put on hold its earlier plan to embark on a strike over delayed payment of salaries, following the commencement of disbursement of June 2025 wages to its members across various institutions.
This development was confirmed by Dr. Sylvanus Ugoh, the Chairman of the University of Abuja chapter of ASUU, during an exclusive interview with LEADERSHIP on Tuesday, July 8, 2025. According to him, the union’s decision to suspend the proposed industrial action was based on the fact that the outstanding salaries began reflecting in members’ bank accounts just before the expiration of the deadline earlier issued by the union.
ASUU UniAbuja had issued an ultimatum that expired at exactly 11:59 p.m. on Monday, July 7, 2025, warning that failure by the Federal Government to credit their members’ accounts would lead to an immediate withdrawal of academic and administrative services. However, Dr. Ugoh noted that the salary payments began to drop shortly before the cutoff time, prompting the branch to hold off on activating its planned strike.
“The June 2025 salary of our members started to drop before the end of the 11:59 p.m. Monday, 7th July 2025 ultimatum given by ASUU UniAbuja. Therefore, the Branch did not activate the withdrawal of service as earlier resolved by Congress,” he stated.
The late payment of salaries has been a recurring issue within Nigeria’s public university system, often resulting in tensions between academic unions and the Federal Government. ASUU has consistently demanded prompt payment of entitlements and full implementation of agreements reached with the government, including issues related to earned academic allowances, revitalisation funds, and university autonomy.
While the recent disbursement has provided a temporary relief, there is still palpable uncertainty within the academic community as to how long the reprieve will last. Many union leaders remain cautious, describing the government’s actions as “reactionary” rather than the result of a sustained commitment to university welfare.
It will be recalled that ASUU has in recent years embarked on several prolonged strikes, disrupting the academic calendar and affecting millions of students nationwide. The union, while calling off the immediate strike, has reiterated its readiness to resume action should delays or neglect of prior agreements persist.
For now, academic activities across federal universities are expected to continue uninterrupted, but the situation remains fluid as ASUU continues to monitor developments from government quarters.
