More than 200 professors and other academic staff have left Kaduna State University (KASU) over poor working conditions and the failure of the institution to implement the 2025 Federal Government Academic Staff Union of Universities (FGN ASUU) agreement, the university’s chapter of ASUU has said.
The union has consequently issued a two week ultimatum to the university authorities and other relevant stakeholders to commence the full implementation and domestication of the agreement, warning that failure to act could trigger a total, comprehensive and indefinite strike.
Chairman of ASUU KASU, Abubakar Abdullahi, disclosed this on Monday at a press conference held at the union’s secretariat in Kaduna.
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According to Abdullahi, the 2025 FGN ASUU Agreement, which provides for improved conditions of service for academic staff in Nigerian universities, became effective in January 2026, but has yet to be implemented at KASU.
He said the union had written several letters to the university management, Governing Council and Visitor, as well as the Kaduna State Governor, urging them to domesticate and implement the agreement in accordance with the law establishing the university.
The union also said it had engaged stakeholders within and outside Kaduna State in an attempt to resolve the matter and preserve industrial harmony at the institution.
However, Abdullahi said the university had failed to commence implementation eight months after the agreement was signed, while almost all federal universities and several state universities had either implemented the agreement or announced timelines for its implementation, including the payment of accrued arrears.
He said the delay had left KASU academic staff among the lowest paid university workers in the country, despite the institution’s previous reputation for prioritising staff welfare.
‘Over 200 academics have left’
The ASUU chairman attributed the departure of more than 200 academic staff, including professors and other experienced lecturers, to poor conditions of service.
He warned that the continued loss of experienced academics could have serious consequences for the university, noting that replacing such personnel and rebuilding academic capacity could take years.
The union also warned that further delays would result in the accumulation of salary arrears dating back to January 2026.
Abdullahi said the ASUU KASU Congress, at a meeting on August 12, 2026, resolved to declare an industrial dispute and embark on a total and indefinite strike, in line with a resolution reached by the union’s National Executive Council at its meeting at the University of Abuja on August 8 and 9.
He explained that the two week ultimatum was issued in accordance with established procedures governing industrial disputes and was intended to give the university and other authorities an opportunity to take concrete steps towards resolving the issues.
Other issues
Beyond the non implementation of the 2025 FGN ASUU Agreement, the union listed several outstanding local issues affecting its members.
These include university autonomy, excessive workload, promotion arrears, death benefits, group life insurance coverage, the 25 and 35 per cent wage awards and pension remittances.
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The union urged the university management and other relevant authorities to treat the issues with urgency and provide satisfactory responses before the expiration of the ultimatum.
ASUU KASU warned that failure to address the concerns could lead to industrial action and further disruption of academic activities at the university.
It also appealed to parents, stakeholders and well meaning Nigerians to intervene in the dispute to prevent the looming strike and preserve peace and stability at Kaduna State University.
