ASUU Denies Receiving ₦50bn Revitalisation Fund, Warns of Fresh Strike as Ultimatum Nears End

The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has refuted claims by the Federal Government that it released a ₦50 billion revitalisation fund to universities, insisting that no such payment has been made and that none of its key demands has been met ahead of its National Executive Council (NEC) meeting scheduled for November 8 and 9, 2025.

In a statement issued on Wednesday by its spokesperson, Prof. Jurbe Molwus, the union recalled that it suspended its two-week warning strike in good faith, based on assurances from top government officials that concrete steps would be taken to resolve the issues in contention.

“As we mobilise for our NEC meeting on November 8 and 9, we expected that the Federal Government would have paid outstanding entitlements such as the 3.5 months withheld salaries, 25/35% wage award arrears, promotion arrears, and unpaid salaries of some members. Unfortunately, instead of payment alerts, we keep getting misleading press releases from the Minister of Education,” Molwus said.

He dismissed the government’s recent announcement that a ₦50bn revitalisation fund had been disbursed to universities, noting that no institution had received such funds.
“It is unfortunate that the ₦50bn fund the government claimed to have released weeks ago has not reached any university. We wonder why the Minister of Education is still withholding it,” he stated.

Molwus also challenged the Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, over his claim that ₦2.3bn had been released to clear salary and promotion arrears, describing the statement as “fictional.”

“The minister’s assertion that ₦2.3bn has cleared all salary and promotion arrears is far from reality. University workers have not received any payment. The amount he mentioned is grossly inadequate—it cannot even settle the arrears of three large universities,” Molwus added.

ASUU called on Nigerians to hold the Federal Government accountable, warning that it might resume its suspended strike if the government fails to meet its demands by November 21, 2025, when its four-week ultimatum expires.

“The public should hold the government responsible if ASUU resumes strike in two weeks. Our suspension of the last strike was an act of goodwill; we expect the government to reciprocate by meeting our legitimate demands,” the statement concluded.

ASUU had embarked on a two-week “total and comprehensive” strike on October 12, following a 14-day ultimatum issued on September 28. The industrial action was in protest of the government’s failure to implement agreements on staff welfare, infrastructure funding, and unpaid entitlements.

In response, the Federal Government criticised the strike, enforced a “No Work, No Pay” policy, and directed universities to take attendance of academic staff.

The Senate later intervened, expressing concern over the deadlock and promising to facilitate a fresh round of negotiations among ASUU, the Ministry of Education, and the National Universities Commission. It also pledged to mediate in the University of Abuja land dispute through engagement with the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike.