By John Umeh
The uneasy relationship between the Federal Government and the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has once again boiled over into a national crisis, with lecturers across the country embarking on a two-week total and comprehensive warning strike beginning Monday, October 13, 2025.
The move, announced by ASUU’s National President, Prof. Chris Piwuna, follows the expiration of a 14-day ultimatum issued on September 28. At a press briefing in Abuja on Sunday, Piwuna said:
“Compatriots of the press, it goes without saying that there is nothing sufficient on the ground to stop the implementation of the ASUU-NEC’s resolution to embark on a two-week warning strike. Consequently, all branches of ASUU are hereby directed to withdraw their services with effect from midnight on Monday, the 13th of October.”
The declaration immediately drew a strong response from the Federal Government, which threatened to apply the no-work-no-pay policy, a labour law that prevents striking workers from receiving salaries for the period they withhold services.
Government’s Response
In a statement signed by Folasade Boriowo, spokesperson of the Federal Ministry of Education, the government accused ASUU of being uncooperative despite ongoing negotiations.
“The Ministers further stressed that the government has continued to prioritise the welfare of university staff and the stability of the academic calendar under the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. Dialogue remains the most effective and sustainable path to resolving disagreements,” the statement read.
The ministry insisted that while goodwill and flexibility had been shown, it would not hesitate to enforce the no-work-no-pay policy in order to uphold “fairness and accountability in the use of public resources.”
The statement also reassured parents, students, and the general public of the government’s commitment to industrial harmony in Nigeria’s higher education system.
ASUU’s Grievances
Despite repeated interventions by successive governments, the relationship between ASUU and the Federal Government remains one of mistrust and broken promises.
The union’s demands this time are far from new:
-
Conclusion of the renegotiated 2009 FGN–ASUU agreement which addresses salaries, allowances, and university funding.
-
Release of withheld salaries covering three and a half months following a previous industrial action.
-
Revitalisation of public universities to address infrastructure decay.
-
Payment of outstanding salary arrears ranging between 25% and 35%.
-
Payment of promotion arrears pending for more than four years.
-
Release of third-party deductions such as cooperative contributions and union dues.
-
An end to alleged victimisation of ASUU members at LASU, Prince Abubakar Audu University, and FUTO.
“These are not fresh demands,” Prof. Piwuna emphasized. “They are commitments already entered into by government but left unfulfilled. Our patience is exhausted.”
A Cycle of Broken Promises
For decades, ASUU strikes have become a recurring feature of Nigeria’s education system. From the 1999 industrial action under President Olusegun Obasanjo, to the protracted 2022 strike that kept universities shut for eight months, the story has remained the same: promises made, promises broken, and students caught in the crossfire.
The current administration of President Tinubu had raised hopes by allocating ₦50 billion for Earned Academic Allowances and capturing ₦150 billion in the 2025 budget for university needs assessment. Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, even described the talks with ASUU as being in their “final phase.” Yet, the strike declaration suggests deep distrust remains.
Students and Parents: Collateral Damage
For students, the strike is another devastating setback. Many undergraduates already face extended years in school due to past disruptions.
“I should have graduated two years ago, but I am still in 400 level because of constant strikes,” lamented Uche Nwankwo, a student of the University of Lagos. “Now they want to waste another semester. It’s frustrating.”
Parents, too, expressed frustration. “We pay school fees, accommodation, and upkeep, yet our children are sitting idle most of the time. The government and ASUU should stop using our children’s future as bargaining chips,” said Mrs. Kehinde Adeyemi, mother of a final-year student in Ibadan.
The Bigger Picture
The repeated clashes between government and ASUU highlight deeper problems in Nigeria’s higher education system: chronic underfunding, poor infrastructure, and the brain drain of academic talent.
Public universities remain under strain, with overcrowded lecture halls, outdated laboratories, and poor research funding. The inability of government and unions to build lasting trust has only worsened the situation.
Education experts warn that unless the issues are decisively addressed, Nigeria risks producing poorly trained graduates ill-prepared for the demands of a 21st-century economy.
What Next?
The government has signaled willingness to continue dialogue, but with ASUU’s strike already underway, negotiations are expected to be tense. Both sides appear unwilling to concede ground, raising fears of another prolonged shutdown.
For millions of Nigerian students, the hope is that the strike remains a warning strike as declared, and not the beginning of yet another indefinite standoff that could keep them out of classrooms for months.
“The ball is now in the court of both ASUU and the Federal Government,” education analyst Dr. Bayo Olawale noted. “If they fail to find a middle ground, the nation’s education system will continue to suffer, and the biggest losers will remain the students.”
Conclusion
The ASUU–FG crisis is no longer just a labour dispute—it has become a recurring national tragedy. Until both sides move beyond rhetoric and build genuine trust, Nigeria’s universities will remain locked in a cycle of strikes, uncertainty, and lost potential.
For now, the countdown begins: two weeks of silence in lecture halls, with millions of students and parents anxiously waiting to see whether government and ASUU will choose compromise—or confrontation.
