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JUST IN: NLC Begins Meeting with ASUU, Other Unions Over Strike

October 20, 2025 by admin

The Nigeria Labour Congress has commenced a meeting with the leadership of the Academic Staff Union of Universities, Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities, Colleges of Education Academic Staff Union, Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics, Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Polytechnics among others over the ongoing strike in universities and other concerns raised by workers in tertiary institutions nationwide. The meeting is currently holding at the NLC national headquarters in Abuja. Recall that the NLC in a letter invited all union leaders across various tertiary institutions of learning nationwide to a meeting to find lasting solutions to issues stemmed from failed negotiations with the Federal Government. Nigerian higher education system has been faced with chronic instability, the latest leading to closure of universities nationwide due to the ongoing strike by ASUU. Recall that ASUU National President Professor Chris Piwuna announced the strike at a press briefing at the University of Abuja on Sunday, following the expiry of a 14-day ultimatum issued to the government on September 28. The union cited unresolved issues relating to staff welfare, infrastructure, salary arrears, and the implementation of the 2009 ASUU-FGN agreement. Negotiations in recent weeks failed to avert industrial action. Education Minister Tunji Alausa said two weeks ago that talks had reached a final phase, noting the government had released N50bn for earned academic allowances and allocated N150bn in the 2025 budget for a needs assessment to be disbursed in three instalments. However, ASUU rejected these measures as insufficient. The union is demanding full implementation of the 2009 agreement, release of three-and-a-half months of withheld salaries, sustainable funding for universities, protection against victimisation, payment of outstanding promotion and salary arrears, and release of withheld deductions for cooperatives and union contributions. The NLC emphasised its full solidarity with ASUU and other tertiary education unions, calling for robust participation from all union leaders. It also highlighted the principle of a converse stance, “No Pay, No Work”, urging the government to honour collective agreements and respect the rights of workers. The emergency meeting is expected to chart the next steps for industrial action and explore strategies to safeguard the welfare of university staff, as well as the quality and continuity of public tertiary education in Nigeria.

ASUU Ready to Resume Talks With FG — President

October 13, 2025 by admin

The Academic Staff Union of Universities has expressed readiness to resume negotiations with the Federal Government to end the ongoing strike, saying it has received signals from government officials indicating willingness to restart talks. ASUU President, Prof. Chris Piwuna, disclosed this on Monday during an interview on Channels Television, where he reaffirmed the union’s commitment to dialogue as the only path to resolving the lingering industrial dispute. ASUU had on Sunday declared a comprehensive two-week strike, suspending academic work across public universities, citing unresolved demands that have lingered for years. In response, the Federal Government argued that it has met ASUU’s demands and has labelled the strike unjustifiable. Further complicating matters, the government threatened to enforce a “no work, no pay” policy, intending to withhold salaries of lecturers who fail to resume work. However, the Nigeria Labour Congress condemned the threat, warning that such a move would undermine fair negotiation and the right of workers to collective bargaining. The labour body also pledged its support for ASUU in its call for improved conditions in the university system. Despite the tense exchanges, Piwuna said the union was encouraged by renewed contact from top government officials seeking a resolution. “Today, I received a call from Alhaji Yayale Ahmed, Chairman of the Federal Government Team, and he’s eager to resume talks with us. I also received another call from the Minister of State for Labour, stating that she’s been directed to intervene and get this matter resolved. ASUU is willing. We are ready and available to discuss this matter once and for all,” Piwuna said. He added that the union expected official communication from the Implementation and Labour Monitoring Committee between Monday night and Tuesday, noting that ASUU would immediately honour any invitation to the negotiation table. “My understanding, as I’m talking to you now, is that between this night and tomorrow, I will get a communication from the secretary of the IALM Committee for a meeting at a date that they will tell us. And I would also hear from the Minister of Labour on what they want to do to resolve this matter. We are ready and willing to go back and talk,” he said. Piwuna, however, emphasised that the strike action was never an easy choice for the union but a last resort to press home demands that had lingered for years. “Strike has never been an option that we exercise so freely. We are willing to talk about all these issues,” he stated. Reacting to the Minister of Education’s recent remarks that all outstanding issues with the union had been resolved, Piwuna challenged the government to clarify why further meetings were being arranged if no unresolved matters remained. He said, “Since the minister has said all the problems have been solved, that there is nothing left, I want Nigerians to ask the Ministry of Labour and the Federal Government negotiating team: if the issues have been solved, why are you going back to talk with ASUU? Are lecturers in LASU or Kogi State University still not being victimised? Has the 2009 agreement been concluded?” The ASUU president reiterated that both lecturers and students were victims of government inaction, stressing that the union’s goal was to restore stability and quality in Nigeria’s public university system through sincere dialogue. “Nigerian students and academic staff union of universities are victims of governments. They are victims of governments in action and several other things. So we see ourselves as victims of this government, the way students see themselves as victims of what is going on,” he said. Already, several universities, including Olabisi Onabanjo University, Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, Tai Solarin University of Education, and the University of Ibadan, have joined the industrial action, grounding lectures and other academic operations on their campuses.

BREAKING: FG Enforces No-Work-No-Pay on Striking ASUU Members

October 13, 2025 by admin

The Federal Government has directed vice-chancellors of federal universities across the country to strictly enforce the “no work, no pay” policy against members of the Academic Staff Union of Universities currently participating in the ongoing nationwide strike. The directive was contained in a circular dated October 13, 2025, and signed by the Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa. The circular was copied to the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Permanent Secretary of Education, Pro-Chancellors of all federal universities, Director-General of the Budget Office of the Federation, the Accountant-General of the Federation, and the Executive Secretary of the National Universities Commission. According to the circular, the Federal Ministry of Education expressed dissatisfaction over reports of the continued industrial action by ASUU despite repeated calls for dialogue, stressing that government would no longer tolerate non-compliance with extant labour laws. “In line with the provisions of the Labour Laws of the Federation, the Federal Government reiterates its position on the enforcement of the ‘No Work, No Pay’ policy in respect of any employee who fails to discharge his or her official duties during the period of strike action,” the circular reads. The minister directed all vice-chancellors of federal universities to immediately conduct a roll call and physical headcount of all academic staff in their institutions. He also instructed them to submit a comprehensive report indicating staff members who are present and performing their official duties, and those absent or participating in the strike. Alausa further directed that salary payment for the period of work stoppage be withheld from those who fail to perform their duties. He clarified that members of the Congress of University Academics and the National Association of Medical and Dental Academics, who are not part of the strike, are exempted from the directive and will not face any salary deductions. The minister also tasked the NUC to monitor compliance with the directive and submit a consolidated report to the ministry within seven days of receiving the circular. “Please, treat this matter with utmost urgency and a deep sense of responsibility in national interest,” Alausa urged the university heads. The federal government had threatened to enforce the policy amid the ongoing nationwide strike by the lecturers. The lecturers on Sunday declared a total and comprehensive warning strike starting from Monday, October 13. ASUU is currently demanding the conclusion of the renegotiated 2009 FGN-ASUU agreement, the release of the withheld three and a half months’ salaries, sustainable funding of public universities, revitalisation of public universities, and cessation of the victimisation of lecturers in LASU, Prince Abubakar Audu University, and FUTO. Others are payment of outstanding 25-35% salary arrears, payment of promotion arrears for over four years and release of withheld third-party deductions (cooperative contributions, union check-off dues).

Strike: ASUU Faults FG’s Last-Minute Appeal as ‘too late’

October 9, 2025 by admin

The Academic Staff Union of Universities has faulted the Federal Government’s last-minute appeal for the union to suspend its proposed warning strike, saying the intervention came “a little too late.” ASUU President, Prof. Chris Piwuna, stated this on Thursday while speaking on Channels Television’s The Morning Brief, accusing the government of failing to act promptly on the union’s long-standing demands. “The problem we have with this government and this Ministry of Education is that they are slow in responding to our demands,” Piwuna said. He recalled that the union had given the government three weeks to address its grievances after a previous meeting in Sokoto, but received no communication during that period. Piwuna stated, “We went for a meeting in Sokoto, and at that time we were about to embark on a strike action. “They gave us three weeks, we accepted the three weeks, but we never heard a word from them until the three weeks elapsed — not a word from them, courtesy to even say, ‘Oh gentlemen, we think we are running short, three weeks is around the corner, we are unable to meet with you on so-and-so date.’ Nothing, until we threatened action.” Piwuna said the government only reached out two working days before the proposed strike, appealing for it to be suspended. “Yesterday, they appealed to us not to embark on action. Our 2009 agreement — which is still being renegotiated after eight years — remains undone. We have not concluded on it, and two working days before a strike action, you come to appeal to us. I think the appeal has come a little too late,” the ASUU President added. Meanwhile, Piwuna insisted that the union would proceed with its planned industrial action at the expiration of its ultimatum on Sunday unless the government takes urgent steps to address its demands. He said, “Their ultimatum expires on Sunday, and after that, there will be a warning strike unless something substantial comes out from the government. So, in the next 48 hours, we expect to receive something substantial from the government. “Then, we can go back to our members and ask, ‘Do you think this is sufficient for us to hold on?’ and we will do what our members ask us to do.” ASUU had directed its branches to prepare for a two-week warning strike expected to begin on October 13. The latest standoff between ASUU and the Federal Government comes despite ongoing negotiations aimed at averting another round of industrial action in the nation’s tertiary institutions. On Wednesday, the Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, disclosed in Abuja that the government had entered the final phase of talks with ASUU and other unions to resolve lingering disputes over welfare, funding, and the implementation of the 2009 ASUU-FGN Agreement.

ASUU Issues 14-day Ultimatum to FG Over Unresolved Issues

September 29, 2025 by admin

The Academic Staff Union of Universities has issued a 14-day ultimatum to the Federal Government of Nigeria. The union made the decision following a National Executive Council meeting held on Sunday at the University of Abuja. The national president of ASUU, Prof. Chris Piwuna made this known in a copy of strike action he personally signed and made available to our correspondent in Abuja. “ At the National Executive Council meeting held at the University of Abuja on the 28th of September, 2025, the Union decried the neglect of the University system and the government’s consistent refusal to heed to its demands. “Accordingly, ASUU has given the Federal Government of Nigeria an Ultimatum of fourteen (14) days within which to address these issues. If at the end of the fourteen-day ultimatum, the Federal Government fails to address these issues, the Union may have no option but to, first, embark on a two-week warning strike and thereafter, a total and indefinite strike.” Recall that the Federal Government through the Federal Ministry of Education set up a committee headed by the permanent secretary of the ministry, Abel Enitan to look into a proposal for ASUU in a bid to ensure stability across universities. At the time of filing this report, the committee has yet to make any decision known to the public. ASUU’s core demands remain largely unchanged: renegotiation of the 2009 agreement, adequate revitalisation funds for universities, settlement of outstanding salary arrears, and sustainable funding mechanisms. Details later

ASUU Calls On N’Assembly, Others To Intervene As Strike Looms

August 26, 2025 by admin

The Academic Staff Union of Universities has called on stakeholders, including the National Assembly, religious leaders, traditional rulers, and students, to caution the Federal Government against pushing university teachers to embark on nationwide strike. The Zonal Coordinator, ASUU Akure Zone, Professor Adeola Egbedokun, expressed deep concern over the alleged failure of President Bola Tinubu administration to attend to the various demands of the union since his assumption of office two years ago. Egbedokun, who spoke at a press conference at Federal University Oye Ekiti on Tuesday, said that the Federal Government’s failure to heed ASUU’s several calls and agitations had pushed the lecturers to the edge, and their patience had been stretched to its breaking point. He stated that ASUU demands included implementation of the 2009 ASUU-FGN Agreement, sustainable funding of Nigerian universities, revitalisation of the university system, payment of outstanding 25–35 per cent salary arrears, stagnated promotions for over four years, unremitted third-party deductions, and victimisation of colleagues in some institutions. The ASUU leader said, “We will fight back, and the consequences would be damning except the government takes a decisive step to attend to all our requests urgently. “While we take note of the government’s planned meeting of August 28, 2025, let it be clear that the clock is ticking, and time is no longer on the government’s side. Our patience has been stretched to its breaking point. Trust has been shattered, and only decisive government action can mend it. “The National Executive Committee has resolved that all options remain on the table. If the government chooses provocation over responsibility, if it continues to play games with the future of our universities, then it alone must bear the consequences of the storm that will follow. The ball is squarely in the government’s court. “We call on all well-meaning Nigerians – Nigeria Inter-Religious Council, National Association of Nigerian Students, traditional rulers, and the National Assembly to caution the government against pushing us into avoidable confrontation. “For over two years, we have kept faith with the promise of dialogue and refrained from strike actions, but our patience has reached its limits. Our resources are drained, our tanks are dry, and this long road cannot be traveled any further without genuine results. “Lecturers have remained frozen, stagnant, and insultingly irrelevant in today’s economy. It has become a bitter irony that the very lecturers who educate the nation cannot afford to pay their own children’s school fees,” he said. The ASUU zonal chairman said that the report of the Alhaji Yayale Ahmed-led re-negotiation, painstakingly concluded and submitted since February 2025, had been treated with reckless indifference, describing such a development as a clear betrayal of trust and an insult to the principle of collective bargaining. He appealed to ASUU members not to subscribe to a loan policy introduced by the Federal Government, saying it was an attempt to throw them into perpetual bondage. “This loan policy is nothing but a crude distraction and a sinister snare. It is designed to suffocate our members, undermine our cooperative societies, and push them into perpetual bondage, struggling to pay for healthcare, shelter, and the education of their children.” Egbedokun disclosed that the ASUU members in the zone held peaceful rallies in their different campuses on Monday to test-run the next move if government remained adamant.

I’ll Sustain Demand For University Autonomy — ASUU President

July 30, 2025 by admin

The current National President of the Academic Staff Union of Universities, Prof. Christopher Piwuna, says that he and his administration will sustain the demand for university autonomy. This was even as his immediate predecessor, Prof. Emmanuel Osodeke, stated that poor treatment of university lecturers is responsible for academics japa. Prof. Christopher Piwuna, who is a Nigerian Professor of Medicine and currently the 14th National President of the Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, stated this on Monday during a reception organized for the immediate past President of ASUU by Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike chapter of the union. Prof. Piwuna promised “I will sustain the demand for university autonomy, academic freedom and other general conducive environment for ASUU members”, stating that strike action is a universal tool that can not be taken off the table, but only applied if the government fails to honour its agreements with ASUU.” “ASUU struggle is a collective one that concern the lecturers, students and the parents. Strike is a universal tool that is not perculier to Nigeria alone. It is a toll that is used all over and can not be taken off the table, but we hope that we don’t have to embark on any action before we can get what we want,” he said. Also speaking, the Chairperson of ASUU in Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike, MOUAU branch, Chike Ugwuene, extolled the former President of ASUU, Prof. Emmanuel Osodeke, for making MOUAU and the nation proud, adding that there is harmony now between the management of MOUAU and ASUU in Umudike. “He served the nation and made ASUU MOUAU proud by fighting for the the betterment of education system in Nigeria. There is harmony between ASUU MOUAU and the university management. The management is cooperating with us but don’t be surprised that if anything goes wrong, we will still ask for our rights and for the betterment of the society”, she said Receiving the former ASUU President, the Vice Chancellor of Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike, Professor Maduebibisi Iwe, who was represented by the Deputy Vice Chancellor(Academics), Prof. Nneoma Obasi said his university is proud of the roles Prof. Osodeke played as President of ASUU, stating that MOUAU stood by Osodeke “throughout his sleepless nights of endless negotiations.” In his speech, Prof. Osodeke said under his leadership, the union fought several battles to keep education alive during the administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari and former Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige. According to him, “Ngige’s rough relationship with ASUU created a lot of confusion in the country,” which he said, would have collapsed the education system if not for ASUU’s resilience. Professor Osodeke said that the poor treatment of university lecturers was responsible for the exodus (japa) of Nigerian academics to the United States, Europe and Saudi Arabia, adding, “We encountered a lot of difficulties during the era of Ex- President Muhammadu Buhari, anchored by Chris Ngige who created a lot of confusion when we were struggling for the good of our education system.” “Our struggles have kept our public Universities where they are today and saved them from collapsing like other public institutions like Nigerian Airways and Nigerian refineries,” and explained that ASUU was able to achieve the removal of Universities from the IPPS system, while a number of Professors now retire with their full pay. He noted that ASUU’s struggle is a collective initiative for the interests of lecturers, students and their parents, regretting, “public universities still offer quality education more than private ones”, stating that 95% of university students’ population in Nigeria are still found in public universities. The Pro Chancellor/Chairman, Governing Council of MOUAU, Felix Edeh, represented the Visitor to the University, President Bola Ahmed, while a former National President of ASUU, Isa Nasir Fagee, was the chairman of the occasion. Punch

ASUU Threatens Fresh Strike Over Hardship

October 2, 2024 by admin

The University of Ibadan Chapter of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) on Tuesday stated that the hardship being faced by public university workers are getting unbearable. The chairman of the chapter, Professor Ayoola Akinwole stated this in a release to mark the 64th independence anniversary of Nigeria entitled Nigeria At 64; A State In Need Of Deliverance From The Leadership Of Perpetual Have-Nots” He stated that the Union has been very understanding by issuing ultimatum to government while federal government has been lackadaisical to it adding that another 14-day ultimatum is about to end within which government should meet the demands of the union to preserve the relative peace on public university campuses in the country. According to Professor Akinwole, “many (Lecturers) ran away to other countries; many died as a result of financial debility; those who cannot run away got into debt just to survive while many resigned to take another job in private sector.” The ASUU boss stated that “in the sixty-four years of the Nigeria’s independent existence, education and the state of the nation are both in downward spiral, owing to the dwindling fortunes in the quality of politicians steering the ship of the country’s government”. Political leaders and holders of executive positions be it at local government, States and Federal levels, whose answers to any request from workers especially in the education sector (and the Nigerian citizens) has always been “government have not the resources to meet the demands of the unions”. While noting that Nigeria’s problems are due to the major neglect of its educational sector, Professor Akinwole maintained that without the necessary tools, improved welfare package for the lecturers and a conducive work environment, the university system will not be able to deliver on her mandates. The ASUU chairman admonished president Tinubu “to desist from singing the unpleasant and baseless “have-nots” song but brace up to resolve the outstanding issues pertaining to university education as raised by ASUU, inject funds into the education sector for revitalization, improve the remuneration of academics, and address the economic crisis in the country.” He warned that if the trend of hardships facing nigerians is not halted it will culminate into multidimensional insecurity adding that it is “more worrisome that amidst these economic woes of the people, the government is channelling its expenditure to areas like purchasing new Presidential jet and presidential Cadillac Escalade” “The quality of lives of the ordinary Nigerians has precipitously declined, and the gap between the haves and the have-nots is daily expanding; the rich continue to get stupendously richer while the poor are absolutely getting poorer. The so-called middle class has since been wiped off by the increasing weight of dependents in a society that prioritizes “palliatives” over and above the empowerment of the poor. So, while the masses suffocate from the adverse consequences of the neoliberal socio-economic policies of the government, members of the ruling class revel in questionable wealth that makes nonsense of the anti-corruption crusade. If the trend is not arrested, part of the imploding consequences will be that Nigerians can no longer eat well or sleep well and the pervasive poverty will have entrenched a multidimensional insecurity with the associated consequences. While the Nigerian masses are in multi-dimensional poverty government spent billions on cars for Senators and house of representative members, awarding white elephant projects, a fraction of these questionable spending will solve most of the problems of the education sector and lay the foundation for Nigeria’s economic growth.”

Breaking: ASUU Commence Indefinite Strike

September 21, 2024 by admin

The statement emphasized that the decision to embark on a “total and comprehensive indefinite strike” was made after several attempts at negotiation yielded no results. Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Imo State University (IMSU) chapter, on Friday, September 20, 2024, declared an indefinite strike to push for the resolution of long-standing issues related to their benefits. In a joint statement signed by the Chairperson and Secretary of ASUU-IMSU, Comrade Odinakachukwu Ejiogu and Comrade Lazarus Chikwendu, the union expressed frustration over the failure of authorities to address concerns that have persisted for several years. The statement emphasized that the decision to embark on a “total and comprehensive indefinite strike” was made after several attempts at negotiation yielded no results. The statement read, “We are embarking on a total and comprehensive indefinite strike effective from Friday, 20th September. The decision stems from several unresolved issues persisting for years.” “We demand an end to promotion without financial benefits since 2016, ASUU-IMSU staff salary disparity with other tertiary institutions, undue delay in staff assessment and promotion, selective salary payment, and non-payment of arrears of salaries”. “Non-payment of earned academic allowance since 2009, non-remittance of Union check off/welfare dues from 2020-2021, non-remittance of pension deduction from May 2016 to date, non-payment of annual increment in salaries, the inclusion of IMSU into Treasury Single Account, funding of the University and erosion of the University autonomy.” It said, “We have made several attempts through letters, rallies, meetings and press releases and no concrete action has been taken by the university administration, governing council, and the visitor to the university”. “We issued 21 days’ notice on the 18th of July this year so that the University could resolve all the issues but no solution came. We were compelled to proceed on indefinite strike to press home our demands.” However, they called for the understanding and support of the public as they stand for justice improved conditions and a brighter future for the university.

JUST IN: NLC Begins Meeting with ASUU, Other Unions Over Strike

ASUU Ready to Resume Talks With FG — President

BREAKING: FG Enforces No-Work-No-Pay on Striking ASUU Members

Strike: ASUU Faults FG’s Last-Minute Appeal as ‘too late’

ASUU Issues 14-day Ultimatum to FG Over Unresolved Issues

ASUU Calls On N’Assembly, Others To Intervene As Strike Looms

I’ll Sustain Demand For University Autonomy — ASUU President

ASUU Threatens Fresh Strike Over Hardship

Breaking: ASUU Commence Indefinite Strike

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