Students of Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba-Akoko (AAUA) and Olusegun Agagu University of Science and Technology (OAUSTECH), Ondo State, are facing continued disruption to their academic activities as industrial action keeps the institutions largely shut. The development has raised fresh concerns over the management of funds allocated to the state-owned universities, following reports that about ₦4.73 billion budgeted for the two institutions was left unspent.
The reported situation comes at a difficult time for students who have already experienced repeated interruptions to their academic calendars. At AAUA, lecturers under the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) have embarked on industrial action over issues including salary arrears and the implementation of the 2025 Federal Government-ASUU agreement, the crisis has subsequently widened. In September 2026, non-academic staff unions, including SSANU, NASU and NAAT, also commenced an indefinite strike across Ondo State-owned universities over the implementation of the agreement and unpaid allowances. The affected institutions include AAUA, OAUSTECH and the University of Medical Sciences, Ondo.
For students, the consequences have been significant. Academic activities have been paralysed, while examinations, lectures and other university programmes have been disrupted.
At AAUA, students recently took to the streets to protest the prolonged industrial action, barricading roads around the institution and demanding that the government and university authorities resolve the dispute. Reports said the students expressed frustration over the impact of the strike on their education and graduation plans.
The reported ₦4.73 billion in unspent funds has therefore attracted attention because it comes against the backdrop of financial difficulties being cited by university workers. Lecturers and other staff have repeatedly raised concerns over unpaid salaries, allowances and the implementation of agreed conditions of service.
Earlier in the year, the Ondo State Government approved a ₦1.1 billion intervention for AAUA to address outstanding salary obligations. However, reports indicated that lecturers continued to express concerns over payments and the implementation of outstanding agreements.
The government also later approved a 60 per cent increase in monthly subventions to state-owned tertiary institutions and announced the implementation of the Federal Government-ASUU agreement. Despite the announcement, unions maintained that concrete implementation remained an issue.
The situation has left many students questioning why academic activities remain suspended while substantial funds reportedly allocated to the universities were not fully utilised. For families who continue to finance accommodation, feeding, transportation and other educational expenses, prolonged strikes mean additional financial pressure and uncertainty.
The reported unspent funds also raise broader questions about budget execution, accountability and the effective use of public resources in the education sector.
As the industrial dispute continues, students and other stakeholders are expected to keep pressing the Ondo State Government and university authorities for a lasting solution.