The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) is set to commence a two-week warning strike on Monday, October 6, unless the Federal Government takes immediate steps to meet the union’s long-standing demands.
This development follows the expiration of a two-week ultimatum issued by ASUU to the Federal Government, which ends Sunday night. As of Saturday, the government has yet to issue any official response or statement addressing the impending industrial action.
The planned strike threatens to disrupt academic activities across Nigerian universities once again, despite ongoing negotiations aimed at resolving disputes between the two sides.
Earlier, ASUU had directed its branches nationwide to prepare for the warning strike should the government fail to deliver concrete commitments.
The latest confrontation centers on issues including unpaid Earned Academic Allowances (EAA), funding for university revitalization, and the full implementation of the 2009 ASUU-FGN Agreement.
Speaking on the matter earlier in the week, the Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, revealed that the government was in the final phase of talks with ASUU and other unions to resolve “lingering welfare and funding challenges.”
Alausa also disclosed that the Tinubu administration had released ₦50 billion for the payment of Earned Academic Allowances and earmarked an additional ₦150 billion in the 2025 national budget for needs assessment — to be disbursed in three tranches.
“They [lecturers] deserve to be paid well, and our academic and non-academic staff deserve improved welfare. But we can’t give everything at once. What matters is our sincerity and commitment to substantial improvements in their conditions,”
— Dr. Tunji Alausa, Minister of Education
However, ASUU President Prof. Chris Piwuna criticized the Ministry of Education for what he described as its chronic delay in addressing issues critical to university lecturers.
“The ultimatum expires on Sunday, and after that, there will be a warning strike unless something substantial comes from the government. So, in the next 48 hours, we expect to receive something meaningful from them,” Piwuna stated.
He added that the union would consult its members after assessing any government response:
“If the offer is sufficient, we’ll hold on. If not, our members will decide the next course of action.”
ASUU’s planned action, if it proceeds, would mark another round in the union’s long-running standoff with the Federal Government — one that has repeatedly led to prolonged shutdowns of public universities across the country.
