The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has warned the Federal Government to brace for severe actions over its alleged failure to adhere to agreements reached in 2026, including the failure to establish the Implementation Monitoring Committee (IMC) as agreed.
ASUU said the enthusiasm generated by the unveiling of the agreement on January 14, 2026, is gradually diminishing and may soon disappear if the government fails to honour its commitment to fully implement the agreement.
Speaking, the Zonal Coordinator of the Union, Kano Zone, Professor Abdulkadir Muhammad, on Wednesday said, “Our concern arises from the government’s inability to constitute the Implementation Monitoring Committee (IMC), which was expected to protect the Agreement from bureaucratic delays and inertia and ensure its effective implementation.”
He said that up to this point, Federal Government officials have implemented the agreement in a fragmented and poorly coordinated manner, while only a few state governments have adopted and enforced it.
Administrators of federal universities have selectively implemented aspects of the Consolidated Academic Tool Allowances (CATA), Earned Academic Allowances (EAA), and Professorial Allowances (PA), despite the fact that all these components were meant to be integrated into the Consolidated University Academic Salary Scale (CONUASS) as part of the monthly remuneration package for academics.
Professor Muhammad similarly hinted that some state governors, who are visitors to state universities, have disregarded the agreement despite the active participation of representatives of their governing councils and universities during the renegotiation process.
“While appreciating the efforts of some state universities that have taken the lead in implementation, Kano Zone strongly condemns the partial or outright refusal to implement the salary component of the 2025 FGN-ASUU Agreement by a number of vice-chancellors of public universities,” he said.
ASUU explained that the zone therefore calls on both Federal and State Governments to respect the agreement in order to sustain industrial peace and harmony within Nigerian universities. ASUU remains committed to ensuring that all its members fully benefit from the modest achievements secured through the eight-year negotiation process spanning 2017 to 2025.
According to him, “The consequences of failing to inaugurate the Implementation Monitoring Committee (IMC) are also evident in the flawed implementation of another major provision of the December 2025 Agreement, which is the proposed National Research Council (NRC).”
ASUU also expressed concern that on Wednesday, April 7, 2026, the Minister of Education, Dr Maruf Tunji Alausa, announced that the Federal Executive Council (FEC) had finalised plans to establish a National Research and Innovation Development Fund (NRIDF), a proposal in which ASUU had no involvement whatsoever.
Prof Muhammad stated: “The Union is alarmingly surprised that the Minister made reference to a funding figure of $500 million without acknowledging the provisions of the FGN-ASUU research, innovation, and development.
“Although the union does not oppose contributions from critical stakeholders toward developing the legal and policy framework of the fund, it urges the Federal Government to adhere strictly to the carefully designed objectives outlined in the new FGN-ASUU agreement.
“The Union will strongly oppose any attempt by external interests and their local collaborators to undermine or divert the nation’s research and development agenda.”
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