ASUU Shuts Down Nasarawa State University Indefinitely Over Unpaid Entitlements
ISSN: 2354-4481
By Grace Chidimma Ibe
KEFFI, NASARAWA STATE — Academic activities at Nasarawa State University, Keffi (NSUK), have been disrupted following the declaration of a total and indefinite strike by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), NSUK Branch.
The industrial action commenced on Monday, August 10, 2026, following a branch congress at which members deliberated on what the union described as the continued non-implementation of the 2025 Federal Government-ASUU agreement and other unresolved issues affecting academic staff.
Nasarawa State University is located in Keffi, a major town in Nasarawa State, North-Central Nigeria, along the Keffi-Akwanga Road. The institution serves students from Nasarawa State and neighbouring communities and operates its main administrative campus in Keffi.
The ASUU NSUK Branch Chairman, Dr Zubairu Loko, announced the strike in a statement issued after the congress, saying the branch had exhausted several avenues of dialogue and engagement with the relevant authorities without achieving satisfactory implementation of agreements or resolving outstanding local issues.
The union said it had also obtained the approval of ASUU's National Executive Council (NEC) before proceeding with the industrial action.
According to the union, the decision was necessitated by the continued failure to implement the 2025 FGN-ASUU agreement and address other matters affecting the welfare and working conditions of academic staff.
Reports indicate that the outstanding financial obligations to lecturers are valued at more than N3 billion. Among the issues cited are arrears relating to Earned Academic Allowance, consequential adjustments arising from the implementation of the national minimum wage and the Federal Government-approved salary increment for university lecturers.
The union maintained that agreements reached through negotiations must be respected and implemented, stressing that prolonged discussions without concrete action could no longer resolve the dispute.
“Dialogue without implementation cannot continue indefinitely,” the union said.
ASUU further expressed concern that repeated engagements with the university management, Governing Council and Nasarawa State Government had failed to produce the desired outcome.
The union said its members had therefore withdrawn their services until the issues responsible for the industrial action were addressed.
The development is expected to affect teaching, supervision, examinations and other academic activities at the university, potentially disrupting the academic calendar for students.
ASUU NSUK, however, expressed regret over the inconvenience the strike could cause students, parents and other stakeholders.
The union said the responsibility for restoring industrial harmony rested on the urgent resolution of the issues that led to the strike.
It called on the Federal Government, Nasarawa State Government, the Governing Council and management of Nasarawa State University, Keffi, as well as other relevant stakeholders, to urgently intervene and take concrete steps towards resolving the dispute.
The union's latest action comes amid renewed concerns over the implementation of agreements between the Federal Government and university lecturers, with several ASUU branches continuing to press for the fulfilment of outstanding commitments.
Until a resolution is reached, academic activities at NSUK are expected to remain suspended as the university community awaits further developments from the relevant authorities.
