Academic staff at Taraba State University in northeastern Nigeria have warned of impending strike action, accusing local authorities of reneging on promises to improve working conditions and institutional funding. The Taraba State branch of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) issued the ultimatum during a tense press briefing in Jalingo, citing a seven-month failure to implement a labor agreement that had previously averted industrial action.
Union chairman Dr. Joshua Mbave Garba revealed that Governor Agbu Kefas’ administration has yet to disburse monthly payments of 50 million naira (approximately $33,000 USD) for academic allowances promised in a January 2025 deal. The memorandum, which ended a previous strike in February, guaranteed these funds to cover outstanding entitlements for teaching staff. “Our members have endured worsening hardships while maintaining academic activities in good faith,” said Garba. “This pattern of broken commitments jeopardizes the stability of tertiary education in our state.”
The dispute extends beyond unpaid allowances. Union leaders condemned systemic underfunding they claim violates the university’s charter, with infrastructure and research budgets reportedly stagnating despite rising enrollment. A stalled pension reform process has further strained relations, with the government allegedly offering procedural discussions without concrete financial commitments or timelines.
Tensions escalated when state officials failed to attend a scheduled February meeting addressing salary backlogs and ignored a July 31 deadline to respond to union demands. “The government’s silence suggests our workforce is disposable and agreements negotiable,” Garba stated, characterizing the inaction as eroding trust in public institution governance. While acknowledging the governor’s free education initiative benefiting students, the union emphasized that faculty welfare remains critical to educational quality.
The threatened strike underscores recurring challenges in Nigeria’s higher education sector, where compensation disputes and funding shortfalls have repeatedly disrupted academic calendars nationwide. Taraba’s case mirrors tensions seen in other states, though local leaders stress their demands align with legal obligations rather than political opposition. With no immediate response from state officials, over 1,500 academic staff face uncertainty as the new semester approaches, risking paralysis at one of Northeast Nigeria’s key tertiary institutions.
