The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has denied receiving the N50 billion revitalisation fund the Federal Government recently claimed to have released, insisting that none of its key demands has been met ahead of its National Executive Council (NEC) meeting scheduled for November 8 and 9, 2025.
The union made this known in a statement issued on Wednesday by the Chairman of its University of Jos branch, Prof. Jurbe Molwus.
Molwus recalled that ASUU had suspended its two-week warning strike in good faith following assurances from senior government officials that concrete proposals would soon be presented to address the union’s grievances.
“As ASUU mobilises for its NEC meeting on November 8 and 9, 2025, we expected that some of the outstanding entitlements—such as 3.5 months’ withheld salaries, 25/35% wage award arrears, promotion arrears, and unpaid salaries of some members—would have been paid by now. But all we get are press releases from the Honourable Minister of Education. What we need are credit alerts, not misleading statements,” Molwus said.
He expressed concern that despite the government’s recent announcement of a N50 billion disbursement, no funds had reached the universities.
“It is unfortunate that even the N50bn revitalisation fund the government claimed to have released weeks ago is yet to get to any university. We do not know why the Minister of Education is still keeping it,” he added.
Molwus also dismissed recent claims by the Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, that N2.3 billion had been released to clear salary and promotion arrears in all federal universities.
“As we speak, university workers have not received any such payment. The minister’s claim of clearing backlogs appears to exist only in his imagination. He also claims to have improved academic staff welfare—how, exactly?”
He argued that the N2.3 billion mentioned by the minister was grossly inadequate to settle the backlog of arrears across all federal universities.
“Can a meagre N2.3bn settle the backlog of promotion and salary arrears in all federal universities? Absolutely not. That amount can hardly cover three large universities in Nigeria. It’s almost embarrassing—if not insulting. The minister must clarify what portion of the entitlements this money is meant to cover and for whom,” Molwus said.
The union urged Nigerians to hold the Federal Government accountable, warning that it may resume its strike if its demands remain unmet by November 21, 2025—the end of its four-week ultimatum.
“We call on the media, students, parents, and the general public to prevail on the Federal Government to act responsibly. If ASUU resumes its suspended strike in the next two weeks, the government should be held responsible. The four-week grace period expires on November 21, 2025,” the statement read.
Molwus further emphasized that ASUU’s last strike was suspended as a gesture of goodwill, not called off entirely.
“The strike was only suspended out of respect and in the spirit of collective bargaining. We expect the government to reciprocate by fulfilling its promises. Our members are running out of patience as they await their legitimate entitlements.”
ASUU had declared a two-week “total and comprehensive” strike on October 12, following the expiration of a 14-day ultimatum issued to the Federal Government on September 28.
The union had accused the government of neglecting critical issues including staff welfare, infrastructure funding, implementation of the 2009 ASUU-FGN agreement, and payment of withheld salaries.
In response, the Federal Government condemned the industrial action, directing universities to enforce the “No Work, No Pay” policy and mandating vice-chancellors to conduct roll calls and submit reports of staff on duty.
Following the standoff, the Senate intervened, expressing concern over the government’s handling of the matter.
The Chairman of the Senate Committee on Tertiary Institutions and TETFund, Senator Aliyu Dandutse, said the Senate would initiate a fresh negotiation process involving ASUU, the Ministry of Education, and the National Universities Commission to reach a lasting resolution.
He also disclosed that the Senate would engage the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, to address the contentious University of Abuja land dispute amicably.