On June 6, 2025, Peter Obi, a notable Nigerian politician, drew attention to the distressing situation of Nnamdi Azikiwe University (UNIZIK) staff in Awka, who have gone unpaid for five years.
In a post on X at 4:30 PM WAT, Obi shared insights from his meeting with the affected teaching and non-teaching staff, describing their experiences as “shocking and heartbreaking.
” These employees, hired between 2019 and 2020, have been excluded from the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS), a federal payroll platform, resulting in non-payment of their salaries.”
He state the affected staff told him that they have written multiple petitions and appeals, both within Nigeria and international bodies but their situation has remained unchanged.
He called on the Federal Government to urgently enroll the staff on IPPIS and settle all outstanding salary arrears, framing the situation as both a humanitarian and moral concern. Obi stressed that neglecting educators jeopardizes the nation’s future and that the dignity of Nigerian workers must be upheld.