The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Kaduna State University (KASU) chapter, has issued a two-week ultimatum to the Kaduna State Government and the university authorities to implement the 2025 Federal Government-ASUU agreement, warning of a total and indefinite strike if the demands are not met.
The union also raised alarm over the departure of more than 200 lecturers, including professors, from the university, attributing the exodus to poor remuneration and deteriorating conditions of service.
Chairman of ASUU-KASU, Dr Abubakar Abdullahi, disclosed this on Monday at a press conference in Kaduna.
According to him, most of the lecturers who left KASU subsequently secured appointments at newer universities within and outside Kaduna State.
Abdullahi said the development was particularly troubling because the loss of experienced academics could undermine teaching, research and the university’s long-term academic development.
2025 agreement yet to be implemented
The ASUU chairman said the 2025 Federal Government-ASUU agreement, which took effect in January 2026, provided improved conditions of service for university academics, but its implementation had yet to commence at KASU.
He said the union had written several letters to the university management and Governing Council and had also notified the Visitor to the university, Governor Uba Sani.
Abdullahi expressed concern that more than eight months after the agreement was signed, KASU lecturers were yet to benefit from its implementation, even though several federal universities and some state-owned universities had already commenced implementation or announced timelines for paying accrued arrears.
He warned that further delays would result in the accumulation of salary arrears from January 2026.
The situation, he said, had left KASU academic staff among the least-paid university workers in the country and was contributing to the continuing loss of experienced lecturers.
Other grievances
Beyond the non-implementation of the federal agreement, ASUU-KASU listed several unresolved local issues affecting its members.
These include university autonomy, excessive workload, promotion arrears, death benefits, group life insurance, wage awards and pension remittances.
Abdullahi said the union’s congress met on August 12 and resolved to declare an industrial dispute over the issues.
He added that the decision was consistent with a resolution of the ASUU National Executive Council meeting held at the University of Abuja on August 8 and 9.
The two-week ultimatum, he explained, was part of the established procedure for resolving industrial disputes and was intended to give the government and university authorities an opportunity to take concrete steps before industrial action becomes inevitable.
‘Replacing lecturers will take years’
Abdullahi warned that the continued departure of academics could have consequences extending beyond the immediate staffing shortage.
He noted that replacing highly qualified academics, particularly experienced professors, would require considerable resources and could take years.
He therefore urged the Kaduna State Government and university authorities to act urgently to reverse the situation and prevent further deterioration of academic activities.
The union chairman appealed to parents and other stakeholders to support efforts to resolve the dispute, while reaffirming ASUU’s commitment to pursuing its demands through lawful means.
He expressed hope that the authorities would respond positively before the two-week ultimatum expires and avert what could become another prolonged disruption of academic activities at the university.
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