ASUU says it has yet to receive the ₦50bn revitalisation fund claimed by the Federal Government and warns of a fresh strike if its demands remain unmet.
The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has denied claims by the Federal Government that it has released a ₦50 billion revitalisation fund to public universities, insisting that none of its key demands has been met ahead of its crucial National Executive Council (NEC) meeting scheduled for November 8–9, 2025.
In a statement issued on Wednesday and signed by Prof. Jurbe Molwus, ASUU said its members have not received any payments despite repeated government assurances, describing the Minister of Education’s announcement as “misleading and imaginary.”
“As ASUU mobilises for its National Executive Council meeting scheduled to hold on the 8th and 9th of November, we expect that some of the outstanding entitlements such as 3.5 months withheld salaries, 25/35% wage award arrears, promotion arrears, and unpaid salaries of some members would have been paid to university workers by now,” Molwus said.
“But all we get are press releases from the Honourable Minister of Education. What we need are credit alerts, not misleading releases.”
Molwus recalled that the union had suspended its two-week warning strike in good faith following assurances from senior government officials that concrete proposals would soon be implemented.
However, he said that contrary to the government’s claim, no funds have reached the universities.
“As we speak right now, university workers have yet to receive any such alerts. The minister’s claim of clearing backlogs may be a fiction of his imagination,” Molwus said. “He also claimed to have strengthened academic staff welfare, and we ask, how?”
The ASUU official also dismissed the ₦2.3 billion reportedly released for salary and promotion arrears as “a drop in the ocean.”
“Can ₦2.3 billion settle the backlog of promotion and salary arrears of all federal university workers? Absolutely not. That amount can hardly take care of three big universities in Nigeria. It is grossly inadequate and almost embarrassing, if not insulting,” he stated.
Molwus challenged the Education Minister to clarify which category of workers the money was intended for, urging the government to come clean on its financial commitments.
He also warned that the union’s patience was wearing thin as its four-week ultimatum to the Federal Government nears expiration on November 21, 2025.
“We call on the press, students, parents, and the general public to prevail on the Federal Government to do the needful so that ASUU is not blamed if it resumes its suspended strike,” Molwus warned. “Our strike was only suspended as a mark of goodwill, and we expect the government to reciprocate by addressing our demands without delay.”
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