Trending 
The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has indicated its readiness to resume negotiations with the Nigerian government to end the ongoing strike, following new signals of willingness from government officials to return to the dialogue table.
ASUU President Prof. Chris Piwuna revealed this on Monday during an interview on Channels Television, reaffirming that dialogue remains the union’s preferred means of resolving the long-standing industrial dispute.
The union had, on Sunday, announced a total two-week strike across public universities, citing unresolved demands that have persisted for years.
In response, the Nigerian government maintained that it had already met ASUU’s demands, describing the strike as unnecessary and unjustifiable.
The situation escalated after the government threatened to implement a “no work, no pay” policy, warning that salaries would be withheld from lecturers who failed to resume work.
The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), however, condemned the threat, insisting it undermined the principles of fair negotiation and workers’ rights to collective bargaining.
The NLC also pledged full support for ASUU’s demands for better conditions in the university system.
Despite the tensions, Piwuna disclosed that there had been renewed communication from key government figures interested in resolving the crisis.
“Today, I received a call from Alhaji Yayale Ahmed, Chairman of the Nigerian government team, who expressed his readiness to resume talks with us. I also heard from the Minister of State for Labour, who said she had been directed to intervene and resolve the matter. ASUU is willing, ready, and available to have these discussions once and for all,” Piwuna stated.
He further mentioned that the union expected formal communication from the Implementation and Labour Monitoring Committee between Monday night and Tuesday, adding that ASUU would promptly honour any official invitation to negotiation.
“My understanding is that between tonight and tomorrow, I will receive a message from the committee’s secretary about the meeting date, and I also expect to hear from the Minister of Labour on their plans to end this dispute. We are ready to return to the negotiation table,” he added.
Piwuna emphasised that the strike was not an easy decision but a last resort after years of unfulfilled promises.
“Strike has never been an option we take lightly. We are open to dialogue on all these issues,” he said.
Reacting to comments by the Minister of Education that all outstanding matters had been settled, Piwuna questioned why new talks were being arranged if that were true.
“Since the minister claims all problems have been solved, Nigerians should ask the Ministry of Labour and the Nigerian government negotiation team why they are planning to meet ASUU again. Are lecturers at LASU or Kogi State University still not being victimised? Has the 2009 agreement been fully implemented?” he queried.
He stressed that both lecturers and students were suffering the consequences of the government’s inaction, insisting that ASUU’s ultimate goal is to restore stability and improve quality in Nigeria’s public universities through genuine and result-oriented dialogue.
“Both Nigerian students and university lecturers are victims of the government’s negligence. We see ourselves as victims in the same way students do,” Piwuna stated.
Meanwhile, several universities, including Olabisi Onabanjo University, Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, Tai Solarin University of Education, and the University of Ibadan, have joined the strike, halting academic activities and operations on their campuses.
