UNILAG Lecturers Begin Indefinite Strike Over ‘Amputated’ January, February Salaries

Lecturers at the University of Lagos (UNILAG), under the umbrella of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), have begun an indefinite strike following what they described as the payment of “amputated salaries” for the months of January and February 2026.

The decision was announced in a communiqué issued at the end of an emergency congress of the union held on Tuesday. The statement was jointly signed by the chairperson of the UNILAG chapter of ASUU, Idou Kehinde, and the union’s secretary, Adesina Arikawe.

According to the communiqué, lecturers expressed deep dissatisfaction over what they termed the unjust reduction of their salaries, which they claimed were paid without clear explanation from the university management. The union said several of its members received salaries that were significantly lower than their actual entitlements, a situation it described as unacceptable.

The lecturers noted that repeated efforts to seek clarification and resolution from the university authorities had not yielded satisfactory results, forcing the union to take the drastic step of embarking on an indefinite strike. ASUU maintained that the action would continue until the issue of the reduced salaries is properly addressed and members are fully paid their rightful earnings.

The union also stressed that the welfare of academic staff is critical to the stability and progress of the university system. It warned that failure to resolve the matter promptly could further disrupt academic activities and negatively affect both staff and students.

The strike is expected to paralyze academic activities at the University of Lagos, as lectures, research work, and other academic engagements may be suspended until the dispute between the lecturers and the university management is resolved.

Students of the institution have already begun expressing concerns about the potential impact of the strike on the academic calendar, particularly as universities across Nigeria continue to face periodic disruptions arising from disputes between lecturers and authorities.

Observers say the situation highlights the long-standing challenges within Nigeria’s university system, especially issues related to funding, staff welfare, and administrative policies affecting lecturers.

Efforts are expected to be made by the university management and relevant authorities to engage the union in dialogue in order to bring a swift end to the strike and restore normal academic activities at the institution.

Source: TheCable