ASUU ISSUES 14-DAY ULTIMATUM TO ESUT AND 19 OTHER STATE UNIVERSITIES OVER UNIMPLEMENTED 2025 AGREEMENT

The National Executive Council (NEC) of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has directed its branches across 20 state-owned higher institutions—including the Enugu State University of Science and Technology (ESUT)—to issue an official 14-day ultimatum to their respective state governors or face an immediate shutdown of academic activities.

​The directive followed resolutions reached during ASUU’s NEC meeting held at the University of Abuja, presided over by ASUU President Professor Christopher Piwuna. The union expressed deep dissatisfaction over the haphazard implementation of the 2025 Federal Government-ASUU agreement and criticized Visitors to state universities for neglecting to honor the financial terms transmitted by the National Universities Commission (NUC).

​In Enugu State, the development follows earlier warnings issued by the ASUU Nsukka Zone Coordinator, Professor Christian Opata, who singled out ESUT as the sole university in the zone that had failed to commence payments under the 2025 agreement. Academic staff at ESUT are demanding the full implementation of the revised salary structure, alongside the payment of accrued arrears dating back to January 2026.

​"NEC observed with great concern the attitude of Visitors to many state universities that were yet to implement the 2025 FGN-ASUU agreement. Permission has been granted to affected branches to institute procedures to embark on industrial action, which must be preceded by a 14-day ultimatum to state governments."

​The union warned that an emergency NEC meeting will be convened in late August or early September 2026 to evaluate compliance across the affected states, reiterating that affected chapters will proceed with total and indefinite strikes if state governors fail to address their demands upon the expiration of the two-week notice.