FG enforces “no work, no pay” on striking lecturers
The Federal Government has directed all vice-chancellors of federal universities to enforce the “no work, no pay” rule against members of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) who are participating in the current nationwide strike. The directive was issued in a circular dated October 13, 2025, and signed by the Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa.
According to the circular, the Education Ministry expressed disappointment over ASUU’s decision to begin a warning strike despite ongoing negotiation efforts. The government warned that it would no longer tolerate actions that breach existing labour laws.
The minister directed vice-chancellors to immediately conduct roll calls and physical headcounts of all academic staff in their institutions. Each university is to submit a list of lecturers who are present and performing their official duties and those absent due to the strike. Salaries for lecturers who fail to perform their duties during the period of work stoppage will be withheld.
The circular further clarifies that lecturers who are members of the Congress of University Academics (CONUA) and the National Association of Medical and Dental Academics (NAMDA), and who are not participating in the strike, should not be penalised.
To ensure compliance, the National Universities Commission (NUC) has been tasked with monitoring enforcement and submitting a consolidated compliance report to the Ministry of Education within seven days.
ASUU declared a two-week warning strike beginning October 13, 2025, citing unmet demands including the renegotiation of the 2009 FGN-ASUU agreement, payment of withheld salaries, revitalisation funding for public universities, and the release of promotion and deduction arrears.
