The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has issued a four-day ultimatum to the Federal Government to commence implementation of the newly approved salary structure for university lecturers, warning that failure to act within the stipulated period may provoke industrial action

ASUU President, Christopher Piwuna, disclosed this on Thursday during an address at Sa’adu Zungur University, Yuli campus, in Bauchi State.

According to him, the ultimatum took effect immediately from Thursday, stressing that the union would not hesitate to take decisive action if the government fails to begin payment within the deadline.

“We have issued a four-day ultimatum from today to the federal government to commence payment of the newly approved salary structure. Failure to comply will attract a strong response from the union,” he said.

The development comes barely months after ASUU and the Federal Government reached a renegotiated agreement in January aimed at resolving lingering disputes over lecturers’ welfare and preventing fresh strikes in public universities.

The agreement, which contains a new salary package for lecturers, is expected to address long-standing issues surrounding the implementation of the 2009 FG-ASUU agreement that had remained unresolved for over 16 years.

At the time the agreement was signed, Piwuna expressed hope that the union would not be compelled to embark on another strike before implementation.

However, nearly three months later, concerns have continued to mount over delays in execution of key components of the deal.

Last week, the ASUU president revealed that several federal universities were unable to pay full salaries for January, while salary payments for February were yet to be effected in many institutions.

The situation recently triggered tension at University of Lagos, where ASUU members declared an indefinite strike over salary shortfalls before later suspending the action after meetings with management.

Piwuna attributed the delays largely to practical challenges linked to implementation of the new salary arrangement, particularly the late passage of the 2026 budget by the Federal Government.

The latest warning raises fresh concerns over possible disruption in the nation’s university system if both parties fail to reach quick resolution