ASUU Strike Looms at KASU as Over 200 Lecturers Resign
A fresh industrial crisis is looming at Kaduna State University (KASU) after more than 200 lecturers, including professors, reportedly resigned from the institution over concerns about remuneration and staff welfare.
The KASU chapter of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) issued a two-week ultimatum to the Kaduna State Government and university authorities, warning that failure to address its demands could lead to a total and indefinite strike.
The union’s chairman, Dr Abubakar Abdullahi, disclosed this on Monday during a press conference in Kaduna.
According to him, the mass resignation is largely linked to poor conditions of service and the failure of the university to implement the 2025 Federal Government-ASUU Agreement, which became effective in January 2026.
Abdullahi said many of the lecturers who resigned have secured positions at newer universities within Kaduna State and other parts of the country. He warned that the continued departure of experienced academics could seriously affect teaching, research and the overall development of KASU.
Why lecturers are leaving
The ASUU chairman said the 2025 agreement was designed to improve the working conditions of academic staff in Nigerian universities.
However, he alleged that implementation had not commenced at KASU more than eight months after the agreement took effect.
According to him, the union had repeatedly raised the matter with the university management and governing council and had also informed the university’s Visitor, Governor Uba Sani.
He said several meetings had been held with relevant stakeholders in an attempt to resolve the issue and prevent industrial action, but no satisfactory solution had emerged.
Abdullahi further claimed that some federal universities and state-owned institutions had already started implementing the agreement, with some making arrangements to pay outstanding arrears.
He argued that the delay had left KASU academic staff among the least-paid university lecturers in the country.
Over 200 lecturers reportedly resign
The union expressed particular concern over the number of lecturers who have left the university.
Abdullahi said more than 200 academics, including professors and other highly experienced lecturers, had resigned.
He warned that replacing such personnel would not happen quickly and could require significant financial resources.
The continued staff exodus could also place additional workloads on the lecturers who remain at the university, potentially worsening the conditions contributing to the resignations.
The union also warned that further delays could lead to the accumulation of salary-related arrears dating back to January 2026.
ASUU gives two-week ultimatum
The threat of industrial action followed a meeting of the ASUU-KASU congress on August 12, where members reviewed the situation and resolved to declare an industrial dispute.
The decision was also said to be in line with a resolution reached at the union’s National Executive Council meeting held at the University of Abuja on August 8 and 9.
Abdullahi explained that the two-week ultimatum was part of the union’s established process for resolving disputes and was intended to give the government and university authorities an opportunity to address the grievances before strike action begins.
Beyond the implementation of the federal agreement, ASUU-KASU listed several outstanding issues it wants addressed.
These include university autonomy, excessive workload, outstanding promotion-related payments, death benefits, group life insurance, wage awards and pension remittances.
Students could face disruption
The dispute has raised concerns about the potential impact on students if the situation is not resolved.
With more than 200 lecturers reportedly leaving the university, continued staff shortages could affect lectures, examinations, research supervision and other academic activities.
A strike would further compound the challenges and could disrupt the university’s academic calendar.
ASUU maintains that the dispute is not solely about salaries, arguing that retaining experienced academics is essential to maintaining quality teaching, research and long-term academic development.
The union has appealed to the Kaduna State Government, university management, parents and other stakeholders to support efforts to resolve the dispute.
With the two-week deadline now in place, pressure is mounting on the state government and KASU authorities to address the lecturers’ grievances, halt the staff exodus and prevent the dispute from escalating into an indefinite strike.
