By Peter Omopo
The Academic Staff Union of Universities at the University of Lagos has suspended its strike hours after the industrial action commenced on Wednesday.
The decision followed a meeting between the lecturers and the university administration led by the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Development Services), Prof. Foluso Lesi, earlier on Wednesday, as well as a resolution reached during the union’s congress later in the day.
The UNILAG chapter of ASUU had on Tuesday directed its members to withdraw their services effective Wednesday in protest against what it described as “amputated” salaries for January and February 2026.
The union accused the university management of failing to fully pay the Earned Academic Allowance and Consolidated Academic Tools Allowance for Research across the Akoka and Idi-Araba campuses in January, as well as the Consolidated Academic Teaching Allowance and professorial allowance for February.
Speaking on the development, the Chairman of ASUU, UNILAG chapter, Prof. Idou Keinde, said the strike was suspended after the university administration promised to address the issues raised within 48 hours.
He explained that discussions with the management focused on harmonising positions regarding the Earned Academic Allowances and the professorial allowance for excess workload.
Keinde added that the union had also been asked to provide documentary evidence from the salary structure contained in the Federal Government and ASUU 2025 agreement.
According to him, the union decided to suspend the action after considering the management’s submissions in good faith.
He noted that the allowances paid by the university covered only one aspect of the entitlements while two other components were disregarded.
Keinde said even the Earned Academic Allowance that was partially paid was incomplete and had been brought to the attention of the management.
He explained that the union would present documents to demonstrate that the correct allowance for excess workload had not been paid monthly as required.
The ASUU chairman said the decision to suspend the strike was taken during a congress held around 2 p.m. on Wednesday in order not to disrupt ongoing examinations at the university.
He confirmed that the strike had been suspended and that the 48-hour window given to the management had already begun.
Keinde added that the union did not want students currently writing examinations to suffer because of the dispute.
Earlier, the university management, through its Head of Communication Unit, Adejoke Alaga-Ibraheem, criticised the union for embarking on the strike without following due process.
However, the management stated that it would continue to engage the union to resolve the issues, particularly the unpaid Consolidated Academic Teaching Allowances.
The university also confirmed that ongoing examinations scheduled for Wednesday would proceed as planned.
Reports indicated that examinations were conducted in several departments on Wednesday, while a few others were postponed until Thursday.
