The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has dismissed the Federal Government’s appeal to suspend its proposed warning strike, describing the intervention as “too late.”
This comes despite President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s directive that all necessary measures be taken to prevent another disruption in Nigeria’s higher education sector as ASUU’s ultimatum nears expiration.
Speaking at a press conference in Abuja, the Minister of Education, Tunji Alausa, disclosed that the government was already addressing the union’s demands and that progress was being made in ongoing negotiations.
According to him, the Mahmud Yayale Ahmed-led Federal Government Tertiary Institutions Expanded Negotiation Committee had recently been reconstituted and inaugurated to fast-track dialogue with both academic and non-academic unions across universities, polytechnics, and colleges of education.
He further noted that President Tinubu had issued clear instructions that every possible effort must be made to avert another shutdown of the nation’s tertiary institutions.
However, in response, ASUU President, Chris Piwuna, speaking during an interview on Channels Television’s Morning Brief on Thursday, said the government’s last-minute outreach came far too late to halt the planned action.
“The problem we have with this government and the leadership in the Ministry of Education is that they are slow — very slow in responding to our demands,” Piwuna said.
He explained that, despite several meetings and official correspondences between ASUU and the Ministry, the government failed to act within the agreed timeline.
“They gave us three weeks after our meeting in Sokoto. We accepted that timeline. But we heard nothing from them until the three weeks ended,” he said.
Piwuna further criticised what he described as the government’s habitual delay and lack of courtesy, saying authorities only reached out after ASUU threatened to embark on industrial action.
“Not a single word from them — not even to say, ‘gentlemen, we’re running late, we’ll meet on this date.’ Nothing. Then suddenly, they appeal to us not to go on strike,” he lamented.
ASUU had earlier issued a 14-day ultimatum, set to expire on October 13, 2025, after which it plans to embark on a two-week warning strike.
The union stated that the action is aimed at pressuring the government to sign and implement the renegotiated 2009 ASUU–FGN Agreement, which outlines commitments to:
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Substantially fund the revitalisation of public universities,
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Improve the working and welfare conditions of academic staff, and
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Uphold university autonomy across all federal institutions.
As of May 2025, ASUU had already signaled frustration over the government’s unfulfilled promises and warned of a looming industrial action. The union also organised nationwide protests in August 2025, highlighting what it called years of neglect and unkept commitments by successive administrations.
Despite the government’s recent assurances, ASUU maintains that the proposed strike remains its only viable tool for ensuring accountability and action.
