No Pay, No Work: ASUU Strike Looms as NANS Appeals for Dialogue With FG

The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) has urgently appealed to the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) to suspend its planned nationwide strike over unpaid June 2025 salaries, warning that industrial action would disrupt Nigeria’s fragile academic stability.

In a statement issued Tuesday by NANS National Vice President for Inter-Campus Affairs, Akinbodunse Sileola Felicia, the student body emphasized that universities have maintained an uninterrupted academic calendar since President Bola Tinubu’s administration began—a progress now threatened by ASUU’s “No Pay, No Work” ultimatum to the Federal Government.

The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has officially activated its “No Pay, No Work” policy, directing all branches to commence industrial action following the Federal Government’s failure to disburse June 2025 salaries. This decision, confirmed by ASUU President Prof. Chris Piwuna at a Monday press briefing in Abuja, implements the union’s longstanding National Executive Council resolution mandating work stoppages whenever salary payments exceed three-day delays.

The strike has already taken effect at two prominent federal institutions—the University of Jos and University of Abuja—with other universities expected to follow imminently. This development threatens to disrupt academic activities across Nigeria’s higher education sector.

In response, the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) has launched a passionate appeal for compromise. NANS National Vice President Akinbodunse Sileola Felicia emphasized that students bear the brunt of such industrial actions, urging ASUU to prioritize negotiation over work stoppage.

“While we understand lecturers’ grievances, we cannot overlook the devastating impact strikes have on students’ academic progress,” Akinbodunse stated. She acknowledged the Tinubu administration’s relative success in maintaining academic stability compared to previous governments, but stressed that delayed payments require urgent government attention to prevent full-blown disruption.

The student leader called for immediate tripartite discussions between ASUU, the Federal Government, and student representatives to find a sustainable solution to the recurring salary dispute. She warned that further delays could erase recent gains in academic calendar consistency, particularly damaging for final-year students and those relying on timely graduation for employment opportunities.