Tinubu’s Govt Directs Varsities to Withhold Lecturers’ Salaries

The Federal Government has issued a firm directive to vice-chancellors of all federal universities, mandating the strict enforcement of the “no work, no pay” policy against Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) members involved in the ongoing nationwide strike.

This order was communicated through an official circular dated October 13, 2025, and signed by the Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa.

The circular, distributed to key officials including the Head of the Civil Service and the Accountant-General of the Federation, expresses the government’s dissatisfaction with the continuing industrial action. It emphasizes that the government will no longer tolerate non-compliance with established labour laws.

Enforcing the “No Work, No Pay” Policy

The document explicitly states the government’s position. It calls for the enforcement of the “No Work, No Pay” policy against any employee who fails to perform official duties during the strike period.

As detailed in the complete version, there are several key factors to consider.

To implement this, Minister Alausa has directed all vice-chancellors to immediately conduct a physical headcount and roll call of academic staff. They must submit a detailed report identifying staff who are present and working, and those who are absent due to the strike.

Salary payments for the period of work stoppage are to be withheld from those not performing their duties.

Exemptions and Compliance Monitoring

The minister provided a crucial clarification. Members of the Congress of University Academics (CONUA) and the National Association of Medical and Dental Academics (NAMDA), who are not participating in the strike, are exempt from this directive and will not face any salary deductions.

The National Universities Commission (NUC) has been tasked with monitoring compliance across all federal universities. The NUC must submit a consolidated report to the ministry within seven days of receiving the circular.

Minister Alausa urged the university heads to treat this directive with utmost urgency and a deep sense of responsibility in the national interest.