The Federal Government under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has ordered an immediate roll call and physical headcount of all academic staff in federal universities to enforce compliance with its directive on the ongoing strike.
In a circular dated October 13, 2025, signed by the Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, and addressed to vice-chancellors, pro-chancellors, and other education stakeholders, the government reiterated its stance on the “no work, no pay” policy.
The circular was also sent to the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, the Accountant-General of the Federation, and the Executive Secretary of the National Universities Commission (NUC).
According to the directive, vice-chancellors must conduct physical verification by taking roll calls and headcounts of lecturers on campus to identify those performing their duties and those absent due to the strike.
“In line with existing labour regulations, any employee who fails to discharge official duties during a strike period will not be entitled to remuneration for that period,” the circular stated.
Dr. Alausa expressed disappointment over ASUU’s decision to embark on the strike “despite ongoing engagement efforts,” stressing that the administration “would no longer condone disruptions to the academic calendar.”
University administrators are expected to submit detailed reports distinguishing between staff who are working and those participating in the strike. These records will determine salary eligibility under the “no work, no pay” enforcement.
The circular also noted that academic staff who are not part of ASUU’s strike — specifically members of the Congress of University Academics (CONUA) and the National Association of Medical and Dental Academics (NAMDA) — “should continue to receive their full entitlements.”
ASUU had on Sunday declared a two-week warning strike beginning Monday, October 13, to demand the conclusion of the renegotiated 2009 FGN–ASUU agreement, payment of withheld salaries, revitalisation funds for universities, promotion arrears, and settlement of outstanding salary differentials.
The Federal Government maintained that most of ASUU’s demands had been addressed, describing the strike as unjustified.
Meanwhile, the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has criticised the Federal Government’s threat to enforce the “no work, no pay” policy against the striking lecturers, saying such intimidation would not resolve the crisis in public universities.
Reacting to the strike, NLC President, Comrade Joe Ajaero, said, “The continued refusal to implement voluntarily signed agreements is undermining public tertiary institutions and eroding confidence in the system.
“The commencement of the two-week warning strike by ASUU is a direct consequence of the federal government’s failure to honour these collectively bargained agreements. The strike is not an act of defiance but a legitimate response to years of neglect and unfulfilled promises.
“Rather than engaging in good faith to resolve the crisis, the government has resorted to the unproductive threat of ‘No work, no pay.’ This narrative is misleading,” the NLC said.
