Academic activities in seven state-owned universities across Edo, Delta and Ondo states may soon be grounded as the Benin Zone of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has threatened to embark on a total and indefinite strike over the non-implementation of the 2025 Federal Government/ASUU Agreement.
The union warned that unless the affected state governments implement the agreement in the July 2026 salary payments, lecturers would withdraw their services indefinitely, a move that could disrupt the academic calendar and affect thousands of students across the three states.
The universities listed as affected are Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma; Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba-Akoko; Olusegun Agagu University of Science and Technology, Okitipupa; Delta State University, Abraka; University of Delta, Agbor; Dennis Osadebay University, Asaba; and Southern Delta University, Ozoro.
Addressing journalists on Monday, the ASUU Benin Zonal Coordinator, Professor Monday Igbafen, said the union had exhausted all available channels of dialogue with the governments of Edo, Delta and Ondo states but had yet to receive any concrete commitment towards implementing the agreement.
According to him, while all federal universities and at least ten state-owned universities across the country have fully implemented the 2025 agreement, including the payment of outstanding arrears, lecturers in the affected institutions continue to be denied the benefits negotiated by the union.
Professor Igbafen stated that the July salaries of academic staff in the affected universities must reflect the Consequential Adjustment of the Total Consolidated Academic Allowance (TCAA) and other entitlements contained in the agreement. He also demanded the payment of arrears dating back to January 2026.
“We state, with all sense of responsibility, that any failure or further prevarication by the three state governments will inevitably provoke a total, comprehensive and indefinite industrial action,” he warned.
Reaffirming the union’s commitment to industrial harmony, Igbafen stressed that sustainable peace within the university system can only be achieved through fairness and respect for agreements reached with academic staff.
“ASUU remains committed to industrial peace in our universities. However, peace without justice is a mirage. The only path to lasting harmony is the immediate and full implementation of the agreement as from the July salary,” he said.
The union also called directly on the governors of Edo, Delta and Ondo states to urgently intervene before the situation escalates into another prolonged industrial dispute capable of disrupting teaching, research and other academic activities.
“We therefore call on the Governors of Edo, Ondo and Delta States to act now before our universities are shut down,” Igbafen appealed.
Describing the continued delay as unfair to lecturers, the ASUU leader accused the affected state governments of failing to provide the financial support required to implement the agreement despite repeated engagements with the union.
“Our members in these institutions are being shortchanged by the governors and visitors of Edo, Ondo and Delta states, who have failed to provide the financial backing required for implementation,” he stated.
He added that the patience of lecturers had reached its limit after waiting six months for concrete action.
“For six months, our members have awaited concrete steps toward the implementation of the agreement. In return, they have been met only with trivialisation and disregard,” Igbafen lamented.
Consequently, he disclosed that ASUU congresses in the affected universities had commenced mobilisation for what he described as a total, comprehensive and indefinite strike should the state governments fail to honour the agreement in the July salary cycle.
The latest threat has renewed concerns among students and parents, many of whom fear another prolonged disruption to academic programmes at a time when universities are striving to maintain stable academic calendars after years of industrial disputes. Education stakeholders have repeatedly stressed the need for governments to honour agreements with university workers to preserve stability, improve staff welfare and protect the quality of higher education in Nigeria.
