Another Strike Looms As ASUU Gives FG Deadline

The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has issued a fresh 14-day ultimatum to the Federal Government of Nigeria to resolve long-standing disputes or risk another round of strike action that could paralyze the nation’s tertiary education system. The decision was reached after a National Executive Council (NEC) meeting held on Sunday, September 28, 2025, at the University of Abuja.

In a statement personally signed by the union’s national president, Professor Chris Piwuna, ASUU lamented what it described as the federal government’s neglect of the university system and refusal to honor previous agreements. According to him, the government’s failure to address critical issues has continued to undermine the stability and quality of higher education in the country.

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“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,” the statement read.

The warning has rekindled fears among students, parents, and other stakeholders, many of whom still recall the devastating impact of ASUU’s previous prolonged strikes, which often lasted months and disrupted academic calendars across the nation.

ASUU’s major demands remain consistent with previous negotiations. The union is insisting on a full renegotiation of the 2009 agreement it signed with the Federal Government, which it argues is now outdated and out of touch with the realities of Nigeria’s higher education needs. The agreement covers key issues such as university autonomy, staff welfare, salary structure, and infrastructure development.

Equally central to ASUU’s demands is adequate revitalisation funding for public universities. The union has repeatedly highlighted the dilapidated state of infrastructure on many campuses, citing overcrowded classrooms, outdated laboratories, inadequate libraries, and poor hostel facilities. These, it says, are direct consequences of chronic underfunding.

The settlement of outstanding salary arrears is another sticking point. Many lecturers are still owed months of unpaid or withheld salaries due to previous disputes over the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS), a payment platform introduced by the government that ASUU has long rejected. The union has maintained that IPPIS undermines university autonomy and has pushed for its own alternative system, the University Transparency and Accountability Solution (UTAS).

ASUU is also pushing for a sustainable funding mechanism for universities that will insulate the system from recurring financial crises and reduce over-dependence on federal allocations.

Meanwhile, the Federal Government has indicated its willingness to engage. Earlier this year, the Ministry of Education set up a committee led by the Permanent Secretary, Abel Enitan, to review ASUU’s proposals and find a lasting solution. However, the union claims that progress has been slow and that the government’s actions have not matched its promises.

The possibility of a strike has once again divided opinion in Nigeria. Many students and parents are worried about the implications of another disruption, especially at a time when the academic calendar is still recovering from previous industrial actions. For students, prolonged strikes mean extended graduation periods, increased financial burdens on families, and lost opportunities in both academic and career progression.

On the other hand, some education advocates argue that ASUU’s hardline stance is necessary to force the government to prioritize education funding. They point out that without pressure, the authorities may continue to neglect universities, leaving students to suffer in substandard learning environments.

Observers note that the timing of ASUU’s ultimatum could place significant political and economic pressure on the federal government. With Nigeria facing economic challenges, including inflation, rising unemployment, and dwindling revenues, a nationwide strike in the education sector would add to the burden on both the government and the citizens.

The union’s 14-day deadline is therefore seen as a critical window for negotiations. If no concrete steps are taken by the federal government to meet ASUU’s demands, the threat of a warning strike—followed by a total and indefinite strike—could soon become a reality.

For now, attention is focused on whether the government will make concessions within the two-week timeframe or whether the country will once again be plunged into another round of industrial action, with Nigerian students caught in the middle.

At the heart of the standoff is the larger question of Nigeria’s commitment to higher education. With universities serving as critical engines of human capital development, research, and innovation, the outcome of this dispute could have long-term implications for the nation’s development goals.

As ASUU and the Federal Government brace for another round of negotiations, the hope of millions of students, parents, and educators is that dialogue will prevail over confrontation. Whether this hope will be realized in the next 14 days remains to be seen.