Victoria Mbangwa
The Federal Government has released the long-delayed June 2025 salaries of academic staff, prompting the resumption of lectures across public universities.
After enduring over five months of inconsistent salary payments, branches of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) have directed their members to return to work, marking a cautious yet hopeful turn in the ongoing standoff between the union and the Federal Government.
The salary delay, which sparked the declaration of a “no-pay-no-work” stance by some ASUU chapters, was reportedly caused by the migration of lecturers from the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS) to the Government Integrated Financial Management Information System (GIFMIS), overseen by the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation.
Confirming the resumption, Dr. Haruna Angulu, ASUU chairperson at Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University, stated that members had resumed lectures following the receipt of June salaries. A similar memo from the ASUU branch at Federal University, Kashere, instructed staff to return to their academic duties. At the University of Jos, a circular from the bursary department confirmed the disbursement of salaries, leading to the end of strike activities on campus.
Reacting to the development, the Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, attributed the renewed sense of calm in tertiary institutions to sustained dialogue and the government’s strategic commitment to resolving long-standing grievances.
“For the first time in decades, Nigerian public tertiary institutions have remained stable and open for two consecutive years. This is not a coincidence but a reflection of deliberate efforts to maintain peace and progress in the sector,” Alausa said in a statement.
He emphasized that the welfare of academic and non-academic staff remains a top priority for the administration, in line with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda focused on human capital development.
Alausa reassured education stakeholders that the government would continue to engage unions constructively and improve working conditions across campuses.
“Our children are the heartbeat of the nation, and their uninterrupted education is non-negotiable,” the minister said, pledging to ensure Nigeria’s academic calendar remains intact going forward.
With salaries restored and communication channels open, there is cautious optimism that the long-standing tensions in the tertiary education sector may finally be easing a development students and parents alike are hoping will endure.
