Branches of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) have asked lecturers to return to classes after the Federal Government paid June 2025 salaries of workers in universities and other higher institutions.
The Federal Government, on Tuesday, released the long-awaited June salaries for lecturers and other staff, ending months of tension in public universities.
ASUU branches, which had earlier enforced a no-pay-no-work action due to what they called repeated salary delays over five months, have now sent memos to their members instructing them to resume work immediately.
The salary delays were linked to the transfer of lecturers from the old Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS) to the Government Integrated Financial Management Information System (GIFMIS), managed by the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation.
Confirming the development, Dr Haruna Angulu, who is the branch chairperson of ASUU at Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University, noted that lecturers had resumed duties following the payment.
Similarly, ASUU at the Federal University, Kashere, circulated a memo to its members, directing them back to work after salaries were finally paid. At the University of Jos, a notice from the bursary office also confirmed the release of June salaries, which brought lecturers back to classrooms.
In a statement on Tuesday, the Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, noted that the current calm in universities and other higher institutions was the result of ongoing dialogue, respect, and real commitment by the present administration to address the concerns of both teaching and non-teaching staff.
“It is not by coincidence that Nigerian public tertiary institutions have remained open and stable for the past two years, something that has not happened in several decades. This is a reflection of our government’s unwavering commitment to maintaining cordial relationships with all stakeholders in the education sector. We are meeting demands in phases, and we are doing so respectfully and consistently,” the minister said.
Alausa also noted that staff welfare continues to be a top priority for the Federal Government, which aligns with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda aimed at developing human capital.
He reassured lecturers and other staff members that the government remains committed to improving their working conditions and protecting the academic calendar from further disruptions.
“Our children are the heartbeat of the nation, and their uninterrupted education is non-negotiable. The Federal Government will continue to work closely with all unions in the education sector to ensure that the gates of our institutions remain open,” he added.
