Tinubu Reconstitutes Expanded Negotiation Committee to Avert Looming ASUU Strike

The Nigerian government has inaugurated a new committee to fast-track negotiations with university-based unions.
including the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), in a move to prevent another nationwide strike
that could disrupt academic activities.

The committee, officially named the Federal Government Tertiary Institutions Expanded Negotiation Committee,
will be chaired by Yayale Ahmed, the Pro-Chancellor of Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria.
The committee held its inaugural meeting on Tuesday, October 7, in Abuja.

Announcing the development, the Minister of Education, Tunji Alausa, said the committee’s mandate is to
“accelerate ongoing discussions and harmonise all negotiation processes”
with tertiary institution unions across universities, polytechnics, and colleges of education.

According to a statement by the ministry’s spokesperson, Folasade Boriowo,
President Bola Tinubu has given “full political backing” to the initiative,
with a directive that negotiations be concluded swiftly, fairly,
and in the spirit of mutual respect.

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“President Tinubu’s mandate is that all our children must be in school.
This is renewed hope in action,”
— Tunji Alausa, Minister of Education

Federal Government Tertiary Institutions Expanded Negotiation Committee: A Renewed Effort

The reconstituted committee comes amid mounting tension in the education sector,
following ASUU’s two-week ultimatum to the government to address lingering issues
from the 2009 agreement. The ultimatum, now in its final week,
has raised fears of another prolonged industrial action.

Minister Alausa assured Nigerians that the Tinubu administration is determined
to bring lasting peace to the education sector through inclusive dialogue
and pragmatic resolutions. He urged all academic and non-academic unions
to cooperate fully with the new committee.

“The Yayale Ahmed expanded committee will engage all unions collectively
to achieve a comprehensive and sustainable agreement,” Alausa said.

He added that the committee’s composition represents “the full spectrum of the education sector”,
ensuring that every stakeholder’s voice is heard.
The committee will also operate from a fully equipped secretariat
designed to support its operations and facilitate timely outcomes.

During the inaugural meeting, the Minister of Labour and Employment, Mohammed Dingyadi,
and the Minister of State for Education, Professor Suwaiba Ahmed,
reaffirmed the government’s readiness to create a lasting framework
for industrial harmony in Nigeria’s tertiary institutions.

ASUU’s Ultimatum and the Threat of Another Strike

Last week, ASUU warned that the government had not made tangible progress
in addressing its demands, even as its ultimatum clocked one week.
The union urged members to prepare for a possible strike
if the government failed to act.

ASUU’s demands revolve around the renegotiation and implementation of the 2009 agreement,
which covers key issues such as improved welfare for academic staff,
university autonomy, and increased funding for tertiary institutions.

The education ministry’s latest move appears to be an attempt
to preempt the strike and demonstrate the government’s commitment
to resolving the long-standing crisis.

“The government is moving swiftly to conclude renegotiations with ASUU
and other unions based in tertiary institutions,” the ministry’s statement said.
“The new committee will harmonise all negotiation processes under one coordinated framework
that reflects institutional memory and sector-wide inclusiveness.”

Committee’s Commitment to Inclusive Dialogue

Speaking on behalf of the committee, Yayale Ahmed pledged
that the new body would conduct its work with transparency, inclusiveness, and fairness.

“We will listen to all stakeholders, foster trust, and work toward agreements
that promote industrial harmony and strengthen our tertiary institutions,” he said.

He further assured that the committee’s recommendations would be practical, realistic, and sustainable,
designed to achieve long-term peace and productivity in the education sector.

Mr Dingyadi, the Labour Minister, echoed this sentiment, noting that
“lasting peace can only be achieved when every stakeholder is included.”
He warned that excluding any group could deepen divisions and slow progress.

A History of Committees, But Little Progress

This latest committee marks at least the sixth attempt by successive governments
to renegotiate the 2009 ASUU agreement. Despite multiple efforts,
none of the previous committees’ reports have been fully implemented.

Before the current reconstitution, Yayale Ahmed himself had chaired
the renegotiation committee inaugurated in October 2024,
which submitted its draft report in February 2025.
However, the government later set up another committee in August,
headed by Abel Enitan, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Education,
to review the draft.

Prior to these efforts, several committees—each with its own leadership—
had been formed and dissolved without tangible outcomes:

• Professor Nimi Briggs (2022): Produced a draft agreement never implemented.
• Professor Munzali Jibrin (2021): Led a renegotiation effort that stalled.
• Dr. Wale Babalakin (2017–2020): Resigned before finalising the process.

These repeated cycles of negotiation and reconstitution have contributed
to deep mistrust between the government and university-based unions,
with academics accusing successive administrations
of lacking sincerity and political will.

Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda and the Way Forward

Under President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda,
the government insists that education reform is a national priority.
The formation of the expanded negotiation committee is intended
to break the cycle of half-hearted negotiations and stalled implementation
that has crippled Nigeria’s tertiary education for over a decade.

Minister Alausa reiterated that this time,
the administration is determined to see the process through to completion.

“We will not only negotiate but also implement practical recommendations
capable of sustaining long-term peace in our education system,” he affirmed.

The government’s challenge, however, lies in convincing ASUU and other unions
that this latest effort will be different.
As the clock ticks toward the expiration of ASUU’s ultimatum,
Nigerians await whether the new committee’s formation
will finally usher in the long-awaited stability in the country’s higher education system—
or become another chapter in the long history of unfulfilled promises.