By Adesina Wahab & Joseph Erunke
After a period of relative stability in Nigeria’s public university system, the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) declared a two-week warning strike commencing at midnight yesterday. The union attributed this action to the federal government’s failure to fulfill their outstanding demands despite ongoing negotiations.
ASUU’s National President, Prof. Chris Piwuna, announced the strike during a press conference in Abuja. In contrast, the Congress of University Academics (CONUA), another academic union, declared its members would continue working, arguing that there was no valid reason for industrial action from their standpoint.
Following ASUU’s announcement, Education Minister Dr. Tunji Alausa and Labour Minister Nkeiruka Onyejeocha swiftly engaged union leaders in talks. However, insiders report that ASUU representatives remained non-committal throughout the discussions.
Prof. Piwuna explained that the strike was unavoidable after the federal government failed to meet the union’s demands within a 14-day ultimatum. He cautioned that if the government does not respond favorably after this warning strike, a full-scale strike will follow.
He elaborated, “It is frustrating that no substantial progress has been made on the eight critical issues we raised. These include the finalization and signing of the renegotiated 2009 FGN-ASUU Agreement, payment of withheld salaries totaling three and a half months, sustainable funding and revitalization of public universities, and stopping the victimization of lecturers at institutions such as LASU, KSU (now Prince Abubakar Audu University), and FUTO.”
Despite repeated government assurances, including a letter dated September 30, 2025, from the Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Education, tangible results have not materialized. Prof. Piwuna described the outcome of the emergency meeting of the FGN/ASUU 2009 Agreement Renegotiation Committee on October 10 as “disheartening,” criticizing the government’s proposals as “provocative and inconsistent” with earlier drafts.
He added, “The hastily prepared documents stray far from the spirit of the Nimi Briggs-led renegotiated agreement and fail to ease tensions across university campuses.” Consequently, ASUU’s National Executive Council has directed all branches nationwide to commence the strike from 12:01 a.m. on Monday, October 13, 2025.
CONUA Members Maintain Operations Amid ASUU Strike
In contrast to ASUU’s position, CONUA’s National President, Dr. Niyi Sunmonu, told Vanguard that his union sees no justification for industrial action. He emphasized that recent branch congresses concluded there was no basis to declare a trade dispute.
Dr. Sunmonu stated, “We engaged with the government team, including the Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, on September 11, 2025. We expect university vice chancellors and the federal government to respect our decision that CONUA members nationwide will continue their duties without interruption.”
NANS Pushes for Prompt Resolution
Comrade Adeyemi Samson Ajasa, National Public Relations Officer of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), highlighted the student body’s efforts to avert the strike. He noted that both the current NANS and ASUU presidents hail from the University of Jos, which facilitated dialogue between the parties.
Ajasa remarked, “We also met with the Minister of Education to discuss the issue and urged a swift resolution.”
Collapse of Negotiations on the 2009 Agreement
Although the federal government renewed its commitment to resolving ASUU’s outstanding concerns through dialogue, the union’s abrupt strike announcement surprised officials. Sources now suggest this move was a strategic effort to disrupt ongoing talks.
After a crucial meeting on Friday, Education Minister Dr. Tunji Alausa and the federal negotiating team acknowledged ASUU’s welfare and working condition concerns, promptly conveying them to the President, who reportedly responded positively.
However, insiders reveal that communication breakdowns originated from ASUU’s side. Senator Lekan Tejuoso, Deputy Chairman of the federal negotiating team, attempted to arrange an urgent face-to-face meeting to prevent the strike. Senator Tejuoso, a former legislator and university pro-chancellor, acted on behalf of Dr. Yayale Ahmed, leader of the 53-member renegotiation committee reviewing the 2009 FG-ASUU agreement.
The government had prepared updated proposals addressing salary increases, university funding, and outstanding allowances, which were presented to ASUU. Yet, ASUU reportedly declined requests for an in-person meeting, citing that their negotiating team members had left town.
Senator Tejuoso personally contacted ASUU President Prof. Chris Piwuna, proposing a Sunday meeting as a compromise. Despite multiple calls from Friday night through Saturday, Prof. Piwuna did not respond until after the strike announcement.
A senior official familiar with the negotiations commented, “The government acted in good faith. The President approved the process, the minister moved swiftly, and the negotiating panel was ready. Yet, ASUU shut the door on dialogue.”
Government sources accuse ASUU of bad faith and deliberate disruption, stating, “They refused a physical meeting, ignored mediator calls, and proceeded to announce a strike while negotiation channels remained open.”
This move undermines the goodwill extended by President Tinubu, who recently approved the reconstitution of the expanded negotiating panel to fast-track solutions to long-standing university staff issues.
Observers note that ASUU’s strike declaration effectively stalled dialogue just as the government was prepared to make concrete commitments. The sudden industrial action has thrown thousands of university students into uncertainty, reviving memories of previous prolonged academic shutdowns.
Critics argue that ASUU’s reluctance to engage constructively, despite fresh government assurances, reflects a confrontational stance that ultimately harms students, parents, and Nigeria’s fragile educational system.
While the federal government insists the door to negotiation remains open, recent events cast doubt on ASUU’s willingness to collaborate. The government maintains it has exhausted all options to prevent disruption, but it appears the union leadership prioritized protest over progress.