The Federal Government has scheduled two pivotal meetings for Monday, November 24, and Tuesday, November 25, 2025, as efforts intensify to prevent a nationwide strike by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU).
The meetings, convened by the Yayale Ahmed Renegotiation Committee, come just as ASUU’s National Executive Council prepares to meet and determine whether the union will embark on industrial action.
A senior member of ASUU’s NEC, who spoke anonymously in Abuja, accused the Federal Government of employing delay tactics.
“They have convened a meeting for Monday and Tuesday. I believe it’s delay tactics. They are trying to delay us from taking action. After their meeting, we will hold a NEC meeting to decide the next line of action,” the source said.
ASUU’s one-month ultimatum to the Federal Government expired on Saturday. The union had suspended its two-week warning strike on October 22, granting the government additional time to meet its key demands.
Among the major issues are the renegotiation of the 2009 ASUU–FG agreement, payment of outstanding salaries and earned academic allowances, and release of the university revitalisation fund. ASUU had warned that it would resume strike action without notice if concrete steps were not taken within the one-month window.
Meanwhile, the Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, insists the government has fulfilled the union’s demands. Speaking to journalists at the State House two weeks ago, he reaffirmed President Bola Tinubu’s directive that public universities must not be shut down by industrial action.
“As I told you, the President has said that he doesn’t want ASUU to go on strike, and we’re doing everything humanly possible to ensure that our students stay in school,” Alausa said. He noted that negotiations remain ongoing and expressed optimism that the issues would be resolved amicably.
“We’ve met literally all their requirements. We’ve gone back to the negotiation table—we’re talking. I spoke to the leadership this morning. We will resolve this,” he added, disclosing that part of his recent visit to the Villa was to brief the President and secure further concessions.
ASUU’s NEC meeting is expected to take place after the government’s sessions conclude, with the union set to determine its next steps in the escalating standoff.
