Lecturers at the Enugu State University of Science and Technology (ESUT) have suspended their two-week industrial action following a breakthrough agreement with the Enugu State Government that increases the institution’s monthly subvention to N276 million.The decision was finalized during an emergency congress on Monday, August 24, 2026, after the National Executive Council (NEC) of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) approved the terms of a Tripartite Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed between the state government, ESUT management, and ASUU-ESUT.
What are the key terms of the agreement between Enugu State and ESUT lecturers?
The strike, which commenced on August 14 over accumulated salary arrears, Earned Academic Allowances (EAA), and unremitted third-party deductions, was suspended after Governor Peter Ndubuisi Mbah approved an immediate N115 million boost to the university’s monthly subvention—raising total state funding from N161 million to N276 million. In a communiqué signed by the Acting Chairman of ASUU-ESUT, Dr. Andrew Apeh, the union directed lecturers to return to their classrooms and called on students to resume academic activities immediately.
“In line with our Union’s principles of negotiation, collective bargaining, and due process, NEC has granted approval for ASUU-ESUT to suspend the ongoing industrial action with immediate effect, in deference to the commitments secured and to the plea of our Visitor. The suspension is therefore contingent on the good faith implementation of all items contained in the MOU. The Union will remain vigilant and shall constitute a monitoring mechanism to ensure strict adherence to timelines and deliverables as agreed.”
A central element of the tripartite agreement is the domestication and phased rollout of the 2025/2026 FGN/ASUU agreement at ESUT, scheduled to run from September 1, 2026, through January 23, 2027. Additionally, the state government committed to the immediate remittance of over N31 million in third-party union deductions, alongside the liquidation of outstanding staff allowances and structural reforms to enhance university financial governance.
“ASUU-ESUT acknowledges the decisive intervention of the Enugu State Government under His Excellency, Dr. Peter Ndubuisi Mbah. The approval to domesticate the 2025 FGN/ASUU Agreement and the immediate increase in subvention represent a significant step toward addressing long-standing welfare issues in ESUT.”
Commending the state administration, ASUU-ESUT emphasized that Enugu State has set a benchmark for industrial relations across the South-East region.
“This development is historic for the South-East. For context, during the implementation of CONUASS in the past, the South-East Zone was the last to comply. Today, Enugu State has taken the lead in committing to the full implementation of the 2025 Agreement. This provides a new template for industrial harmony in the zone.”
With academic activities set to resume across ESUT campuses, union leaders noted that the congress will reconvene periodically to evaluate compliance with the agreed execution schedule. Will the state government’s financial commitment serve as a lasting model for resolving tertiary education funding disputes in Nigeria?
