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Barring any last-minute resolution, members of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) are expected to begin a two-week warning strike on Monday following the expiration of their two-week ultimatum to the Federal Government.
The ultimatum, which ended on Sunday night, demanded that the government address long-standing issues affecting university lecturers. As of press time, the Federal Government had not released any official statement on the planned industrial action.
ASUU had earlier instructed its branches nationwide to prepare for the strike as negotiations with the government appeared stalled.
Despite the ongoing talks, the standoff persists. On Wednesday, the Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, announced in Abuja that discussions with ASUU and other university unions had reached the final phase, focusing on welfare, funding, and the implementation of the 2009 ASUU-FGN Agreement.
Alausa highlighted that the Tinubu administration had released ₦50 billion for Earned Academic Allowances and earmarked an additional ₦150 billion in the 2025 budget for needs assessment, to be disbursed in three instalments.
“Our lecturers and university staff deserve fair pay and improved welfare,” Alausa said. “We can’t meet every demand at once, but we are committed to sustainable progress.”
He added that the government had cleared promotion arrears and other outstanding entitlements, with remaining obligations scheduled for settlement by 2026.
Reaffirming the government’s commitment to dialogue, Alausa urged ASUU to exercise patience and avoid further disruption to academic activities.
He also revealed that, for the first time, the Solicitor-General of the Federation and Ministry of Justice officials were part of the negotiations to ensure that any agreement reached would be legally binding and enforceable.
However, ASUU President, Prof. Chris Piwuna, criticised the government for what he described as its “habitual delays” in resolving critical issues.
“The ultimatum ends on Sunday, and after that, there will be a warning strike unless we receive something substantial from the government,” Piwuna said. “If we do, we’ll consult our members to decide the next steps.”
Reports from several universities, including the University of Jos, Ahmadu Bello University, and the University of Abuja, confirmed that preparations for the strike are already underway. At the University of Jos, ASUU leaders were said to have met with union representatives to rally support for the industrial action.
