More than 200 professors and academic staff members have resigned from Kaduna State University due to substandard service conditions and the delay in adopting the 2025 Federal Government–ASUU Agreement. In response, the local chapter of the Academic Staff Union of Universities has delivered a two-week ultimatum to university leadership and state authorities, warning that an indefinite, institution-wide strike will follow if the agreement is not implemented.
Speaking at a press conference at the university’s union secretariat, ASUU-KASU Chairman Abubakar Abdullahi explained that although the nationwide agreement took effect in January 2026 to enhance academic welfare, Kaduna State University has yet to adopt it. Despite numerous formal requests sent to university management, the Governing Council, and the Governor of Kaduna State, as well as outreach to various external mediators, no action has been taken over the past eight months.
Abdullahi noted that while most federal institutions and several state universities have already implemented the deal or outlined payment schedules for back pay, staff members at Kaduna State University now rank among the lowest-paid university workers in Nigeria. The delay has also resulted in significant unpaid salary arrears accumulating since the start of the year.
The union emphasized that poor working conditions have driven away dozens of senior faculty members, creating an institutional knowledge gap that could take years to repair. Following directives from the union's national executive council, the local congress resolved to initiate a formal industrial dispute, allowing two weeks for authorities to meet their demands before all academic activities are suspended. In addition to the national agreement, the union highlighted critical local concerns, including university autonomy, heavy workloads, unpaid promotion arrears, death benefits, group life insurance, wage adjustments, and unremitted pensions. ASUU-KASU urged parents, community leaders, and government officials to step in promptly to resolve the dispute and prevent an academic disruption.