Esther Salifu
The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) will today begin a two-week warning strike following the expiration of its 14-day ultimatum to the Federal Government.
Announcing the industrial action yesterday in Abuja, ASUU National President, Prof. Chris Piwuna, said the union was left with no option after government failed to meet its demands despite repeated assurances.
“All branches of ASUU are hereby directed to withdraw their services with effect from midnight on Monday, October 13, 2025. The warning strike shall be total and comprehensive,” Piwuna declared at a press briefing held at the University of Abuja.
The decision came despite last-minute efforts by the Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, to forestall the strike.
Alausa had on Wednesday told journalists in Abuja that the government was in the “final phase” of talks with ASUU and other university-based unions to address lingering issues relating to welfare, funding, and the 2009 ASUU-FGN Agreement.
Sources in the ministry revealed that government presented a new proposal to ASUU last Friday in a bid to avert the action, but the union’s leadership rejected it, describing the offer as “a departure from the spirit and letter” of previous negotiations.
Piwuna insisted that the government’s presentation was “hurriedly packaged” and “incapable of dousing industrial tensions,” adding that ASUU would soon forward its own counter-proposal highlighting areas of “distortion and inconsistency.”
ASUU’s fresh demands include the full implementation of the renegotiated 2009 FGN-ASUU Agreement, payment of withheld three-and-a-half months’ salaries, and sustained funding for the revitalisation of public universities. The union is also demanding the settlement of outstanding 25–35 per cent salary arrears and four years’ promotion arrears, as well as the release of withheld third-party deductions such as cooperative and union dues. In addition, ASUU is calling for an end to the alleged victimisation of lecturers in institutions such as Lagos State University (LASU), Prince Abubakar Audu University, and the Federal University of Technology, Owerri (FUTO).
The union maintains that government’s failure to honour past commitments has eroded confidence among members and undermined morale in public universities.
Reacting to the development, the Federal Government last night cautioned ASUU against embarking on the strike, warning that the “no work, no pay” rule would be enforced if academic activities were disrupted.
In a joint statement signed by Alausa and Minister of State for Education, Prof. Suwaiba Ahmad, the government expressed disappointment over the union’s decision, insisting that it had made a “comprehensive offer” addressing key issues of welfare, governance, and working conditions.
“Dialogue remains the most effective and sustainable path to resolving disagreements,”
“While government continues to demonstrate goodwill and flexibility, it will not abdicate its responsibility to uphold fairness and accountability in the use of public resources.”the statement read.
Spokesperson for the ministry, Folasade Boriowo, reaffirmed government’s commitment to industrial harmony in the education sector, stressing that the Tinubu administration’s Renewed Hope Agenda prioritises the welfare of university staff and the stability of the academic calendar.
Meanwhile, the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) has appealed to both parties to return to the negotiating table.
In a statement issued in Abuja, NANS Assistant General Secretary, Adejuwon Emmanuel, said the student body was “deeply concerned” about the likely impact of another strike on the academic future of Nigerian students.
“Nigerian students have endured too many disruptions. We urge both parties to show sincerity and urgency in resolving the issues at stake,” Emmanuel said.
He disclosed that NANS President, Olushola Oladoja, had commenced consultations with both ASUU and government officials to mediate and avert a prolonged shutdown.
In a related development, the Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP) has given the Federal Government a six-week window to resolve outstanding issues affecting polytechnic staff.
The union said the decision to suspend its planned strike followed “measurable progress” in recent engagements with the Ministry of Education, including the release of circulars on Peculiar Academic Allowances and progress on the 2025 NEEDS Assessment cycle.
ASUP, however, warned that failure to sustain current efforts could lead to renewed industrial action after the grace period
ASUU’s latest action adds to a long history of strikes in Nigeria’s public universities over issues of underfunding, unpaid salaries, poor infrastructure, and failure to implement agreements.
Observers say the recurring crises continue to erode the global competitiveness of the nation’s higher education system and disrupt the academic future of millions of students.
