The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Yobe State University (YSU) branch, has raised concerns over what it describes as the Yobe State Government’s failure to fulfill key commitments made to academic staff, warning that it may resort to lawful industrial action if urgent steps are not taken to address lingering issues.
The union made its position known during a press briefing held at the Yobe State University campus in Damaturu on Thursday. According to the union, several agreements reached with the state government following the suspension of a strike in 2025 have remained largely unimplemented, leaving lecturers and other academic staff frustrated.
Addressing journalists, the Chairperson of ASUU-YSU, Comrade Muhammad Adamu, explained that the union’s congress meetings held on April 23, May 13, and June 17, 2026, extensively reviewed unresolved welfare matters affecting members. He recalled that the union embarked on industrial action in July 2025 over similar concerns before both parties reached a compromise and signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on July 29, 2025.
According to Adamu, while the government has implemented some aspects of the agreement, several critical provisions remain outstanding. Chief among them is the non-payment of promotion arrears accumulated between 2018 and 2024. He noted that the state government had acknowledged the legitimacy of the claim and pledged to settle the arrears but has yet to fulfill that commitment.
The union also expressed dissatisfaction over the failure to implement components of the 2025 Federal Government-ASUU agreement. These include the Consolidated Academic Tools Allowance (CATA), professorial allowances, and the integration of an 11 percent annual salary component as Earned Academic Allowance. ASUU stated that these demands were formally presented to the state government during a meeting convened by the Acting Secretary to the State Government, Dr. Mohammed Goje, in May 2026, but no concrete action has followed.
Further grievances highlighted by the union include unpaid arrears arising from the 35 percent and 25 percent salary awards approved for professors and non-professorial academic staff, respectively. The union also pointed to the unpaid N70,000 wage award introduced for workers in tertiary institutions nationwide.
Although the salary award was eventually implemented at Yobe State University in July 2025, nearly two years after it was approved, ASUU noted that accumulated arrears from the delayed implementation remain unsettled. Similarly, the union accused the government of failing to pay five years’ worth of arrears linked to the 2019 minimum wage consequential adjustment, which was only implemented in February 2024 after prolonged delays.
ASUU warned that the continued neglect of staff welfare is fueling a steady departure of experienced academics from the university. According to the union, many senior lecturers, readers, and professors who benefited from government-sponsored training and development programmes are leaving the institution for universities and organisations offering better remuneration and working conditions.
The union stressed that salaries and allowances at Yobe State University have become increasingly uncompetitive when compared to those offered by many public universities across Nigeria. This situation, it argued, is making it difficult for the institution to retain highly qualified personnel and attract new talent.
Adamu cautioned that the growing brain drain could have serious implications for the university’s academic standards, research output, postgraduate supervision, and accreditation exercises. He noted that the loss of experienced scholars could weaken the institution’s ability to compete effectively with other universities both nationally and internationally.
ASUU therefore called on the Yobe State Government and relevant stakeholders to urgently address the outstanding issues in order to preserve industrial harmony and maintain the stability of the academic calendar. The union emphasized that prompt intervention would not only improve staff morale but also strengthen the overall quality of higher education in the state.
While reaffirming its commitment to dialogue and peaceful resolution of disputes, the union warned that it may be left with no option but to activate all lawful mechanisms available to protect the welfare and rights of its members if the government continues to delay action.
“We remain committed to constructive engagement and the development of Yobe State University. However, government must act swiftly in the interest of industrial peace, academic stability, and the long-term survival of the institution,” Adamu stated.
The development adds to growing concerns across Nigeria’s tertiary education sector, where disputes over salary arrears, welfare packages, and implementation of agreements continue to pose challenges to smooth academic operations. Stakeholders are hopeful that renewed dialogue between ASUU and the Yobe State Government will prevent another disruption of academic activities at the university.
