The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Sule Lamido University, Kafin Hausa (SLUK) branch, has confirmed plans for a two-week warning strike from September 15, 2026, after rejecting the latest proposal from the Jigawa State Government over unresolved issues affecting lecturers and the university.
The decision was reached at the branch’s 54th Regular Congress Meeting on Tuesday, September 8, 2026, following an assessment of negotiations with the state government and the outcome of an emergency national ASUU meeting.
The union said the government’s latest offer failed to adequately address its concerns, prompting members to approve industrial action beginning at midnight on September 15.
The development raises the prospect of disruption to academic activities at the state-owned university unless negotiations produce a breakthrough before the proposed strike date. The union has also warned that the initial two-week action could escalate into an indefinite strike if its demands remain unresolved.
The dispute centres on a combination of payroll, staff entitlement and university funding issues.
One of the union’s principal demands is the removal of Sule Lamido University from the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Management System (IPPMS). ASUU-SLUK argues that the system does not adequately accommodate the institution’s operational circumstances.
The lecturers are also pressing for the settlement of promotion arrears owed to eligible staff since 2024.
The union’s demands include:
- Exemption of SLUK from the IPPMS.
- Payment of outstanding promotion arrears dating from 2024.
- Release of the approved 2024/2025 Earned Academic Allowance.
- Resolution of outstanding staff entitlements.
- A sustainable funding arrangement for the state’s universities.
- Review of the government’s position on the statutory local-government contribution to the university.
The funding disagreement is particularly significant because ASUU-SLUK has raised concerns about the allocation of the statutory 2 per cent Local Government Contribution and called for a sustainable alternative funding arrangement for the state’s other university.
ASUU-SLUK’s latest decision follows earlier efforts to resolve the dispute through negotiations.
The branch had previously issued a two-week ultimatum demanding implementation of the 2025 ASUU-Federal Government agreement and payment of outstanding entitlements. Reports from September 3 indicated that the union wanted arrears and other obligations addressed before September 15.
Following subsequent discussions with the Jigawa Government, however, the union said it remained dissatisfied with the government’s proposal.
The branch subsequently resolved to proceed with the warning strike while leaving room for further intervention.
The union also acknowledged government efforts that resulted in the release of the approved 2024/2025 Earned Academic Allowance, but said other outstanding matters still require action.
The development means the two sides now have a narrow window to reach an agreement before the proposed industrial action begins.
The Jigawa State Government has indicated that it does not want the dispute to result in the suspension of academic activities.
Commissioner for Higher Education, Professor Yusuf Chamo, said the government remained open to engagement with the university and the union.
The government has also argued that it only recently received a memorandum from the National Universities Commission concerning aspects of the 2025 agreement and needed to assess the financial implications before incorporating additional commitments into the state’s budget.
However, ASUU-SLUK has disputed that timeline.
The union maintains that the implementation issue has been before the relevant state authorities for several months and that previous correspondence and attempts at engagement failed to produce a satisfactory resolution.
The conflicting positions underline why negotiations remain crucial in the days leading to September 15.
ASUU-SLUK has made clear that the proposed two-week action represents an initial warning rather than an endpoint.
If the government fails to resolve the outstanding matters after the warning strike, the union says it could proceed to a broader and potentially indefinite industrial action.
Such an escalation would place additional pressure on the university, students and the state government, particularly if academic activities remain suspended for an extended period.
For students, the immediate concern is whether lectures, examinations and other academic programmes scheduled around the affected period will continue as planned.
For the government, preventing the strike would avoid further disruption while providing an opportunity to resolve the underlying questions around funding, payroll administration and staff entitlements.
With the strike date approaching, attention is now focused on negotiations between ASUU-SLUK and the Jigawa State Government.
The union has constituted a media team to explain its position to the public and engage stakeholders on the issues behind the planned industrial action. It has also appealed for intervention to prevent disruption at Sule Lamido University.
The key developments to watch are:
- Whether the Jigawa Government presents a revised offer.
- Whether ASUU-SLUK accepts any new proposal before September 15.
- Whether outstanding staff entitlements are settled.
- Whether the IPPMS dispute can be resolved.
- Whether both sides agree on a sustainable university funding arrangement.
Unless negotiations produce a breakthrough, ASUU-SLUK’s two-week warning strike is scheduled to begin at midnight on September 15.
The dispute illustrates the continuing pressure on Nigeria’s public universities over staff welfare, funding and implementation of negotiated agreements. Its resolution will depend on whether the two sides can turn their renewed engagement into concrete commitments before academic activities are affected.
