ASUU Raises Fresh Strike Threat, Accuses FG of Failing to Honour 2025 Agreement

The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has once again sounded the alarm over what it described as the Federal Government’s failure to fully implement the 2025 agreement reached with the union, warning that Nigerian universities may be heading toward another industrial crisis if urgent steps are not taken.

The warning came after the union’s National Executive Council (NEC) meeting held at the Modibbo Adama University, where ASUU leaders reviewed the state of implementation of the agreement signed with the Federal Government in December 2025.

Addressing journalists after the meeting, ASUU President, Christopher Piwuna, accused both the Federal Government and several state governments of failing to fulfil major parts of the agreement that was meant to restore stability to the nation’s university system.

According to him, the situation has created growing anger among lecturers across public universities, adding that the union may be forced to take drastic action if the issues remain unresolved.

Piwuna explained that although the agreement initially raised hopes among university lecturers, many promises made by the government had either been ignored or only partially implemented. He said the lack of commitment from the authorities was gradually eroding trust and increasing tension within the university system.

The ASUU president particularly criticised the government for failing to inaugurate the Implementation Monitoring Committee, a body that was expected to oversee and ensure the smooth execution of the agreement. According to the union, the committee was designed to prevent delays, administrative bottlenecks and selective implementation of lecturers’ welfare packages.

ASUU alleged that some federal universities had begun implementing only certain parts of lecturers’ entitlements while neglecting others. The union also accused some vice-chancellors of deciding independently which allowances to pay and which ones to delay.

Among the entitlements reportedly affected are the Consolidated Academic Tool Allowances (CATA), Earned Academic Allowances (EAA), and Professorial Allowances. ASUU insisted that these allowances should have been fully integrated into lecturers’ salary structures rather than being treated as optional payments.

The union also expressed displeasure over several unresolved welfare matters affecting lecturers nationwide. These include outstanding arrears linked to the 25 to 35 percent salary award, promotion arrears, salary shortfalls associated with the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS), unpaid third-party deductions and the controversial withholding of three-and-a-half months salaries following the 2022 ASUU strike.

ASUU warned that the continued neglect of university lecturers could have serious implications for the country’s educational development and overall national growth. The union maintained that no country can achieve meaningful progress while failing to prioritise the welfare of academics responsible for training future professionals and leaders.

The union further lamented the condition of retired lecturers, especially those from state-owned universities, claiming that many pensioners were still owed years of pension arrears. It also accused authorities of delaying pension harmonisation processes, thereby worsening the hardship faced by retired academics.

Beyond welfare concerns, ASUU launched strong criticism against several recent education policies introduced by the Federal Ministry of Education under Minister Tunji Alausa.

One of the policies heavily criticised by the union is the proposed Transnational Education framework, which would pave the way for the establishment of a campus of Coventry University in Nigeria.

ASUU described the move as dangerous and unnecessary, arguing that the government should focus on improving local universities instead of encouraging foreign institutions to establish campuses in the country. The union labelled the proposal “neo-colonial,” insisting that Nigeria possesses enough intellectual and institutional capacity to build globally competitive universities.

According to ASUU, rather than opening the doors for foreign institutions, the government should invest more in infrastructure, research funding, staff welfare and learning facilities within Nigerian universities to attract international students and scholars.

The union also faulted the Federal Government’s decision to reverse the mother-tongue education policy in favour of English language instruction in early childhood education. ASUU argued that the move contradicted global educational research, which supports the use of indigenous languages during the early stages of learning.

Another major issue raised by the union was the compulsory enrolment of academics into the Nigeria Education Repository Databank (NERD). ASUU warned that forcing lecturers into the database could threaten academic freedom and violate digital privacy rights.

The union further rejected recent suggestions by government officials to scrap some university courses considered irrelevant, especially programmes in the humanities and social sciences.

ASUU argued that such claims oversimplify Nigeria’s unemployment crisis and fail to recognise the importance of disciplines such as philosophy, religious studies, linguistics, history, fine arts and other social science courses.

According to the union, every academic discipline contributes meaningfully to society and national development in different ways. It stressed that humanities and social science courses help to develop communication skills, creativity, analytical thinking and cultural understanding, all of which remain essential in modern societies.

The union vowed to resist any attempt to arbitrarily remove academic programmes from Nigerian universities.

ASUU also accused some university administrators and governing councils of widespread maladministration. The union alleged that certain vice-chancellors were involved in financial irregularities, questionable appointments and policies designed to favour associates and political allies.

Particular attention was drawn to the increasing use of positions such as “Professor of Practice” and “Diaspora Professors,” which ASUU claimed were sometimes manipulated to reward cronies instead of genuinely strengthening academic standards.

The union also condemned an alleged attempt by the Niger State Government to reclaim the Bosso campus of the Federal University of Technology, Minna several years after the land had been allocated to the institution.

ASUU warned that such actions could create a dangerous precedent capable of discouraging future collaboration between state governments and federal institutions in the development of higher education infrastructure.

In addition to education-related concerns, the union painted a gloomy picture of the nation’s socio-economic condition. ASUU said worsening insecurity, rising poverty, inflation and political uncertainty ahead of the 2027 general elections were increasing tension across the country.

The union claimed that millions of Nigerians were currently trapped in multidimensional poverty while insecurity in various regions continued to disrupt economic activities, education and livelihoods.

ASUU therefore called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and relevant stakeholders to urgently intervene and resolve all outstanding issues before the situation escalates into another nationwide university strike.

While reiterating its commitment to dialogue and peaceful negotiation, the union disclosed that its NEC had already directed that an emergency meeting be convened within the coming weeks to review the government’s response and determine its next line of action.

The latest warning from ASUU has once again raised fears among students, parents and university administrators who are still recovering from the long periods of academic disruption previously caused by industrial actions in Nigeria’s tertiary education sector.

Education stakeholders have continued to urge both the Federal Government and ASUU to prioritise dialogue and avoid another prolonged strike capable of further destabilising the nation’s universities and affecting the academic future of millions of students across the country.