By John Umeh
The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has declared its readiness to return to the negotiation table with the Federal Government in a bid to resolve the latest industrial action that has crippled academic activities nationwide.
ASUU President, Prof. Chris Piwuna, confirmed the development during an interview on Channels Television on Monday. He revealed that the union had received direct overtures from key government officials indicating a fresh willingness to resume discussions.
The union, which began a two-week comprehensive strike on Sunday, insisted the action was triggered by years of unfulfilled promises and unresolved demands. But despite the government’s insistence that most of ASUU’s concerns had already been addressed, Piwuna stressed that dialogue remained the only viable path forward.
According to him, ASUU has been contacted by Alhaji Yayale Ahmed, Chairman of the Federal Government’s negotiation team, and the Minister of State for Labour, both of whom expressed readiness to reopen talks. “We are prepared and available to engage with government once again. For us, strikes are never taken lightly, but when dialogue fails, it becomes our last resort,” he said.
The Federal Government, however, has maintained its tough stance, warning lecturers that the “no work, no pay” rule would be enforced. This threat was swiftly condemned by the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), which argued that withholding salaries would only undermine trust and fair bargaining. The NLC pledged solidarity with ASUU, reiterating that Nigerian students and lecturers were the ultimate victims of government neglect.
Piwuna further challenged claims by the Minister of Education that all disputes had already been resolved. He questioned why new talks were being scheduled if there were truly no outstanding issues. “If everything has been settled, why are there fresh invitations for negotiation? Why are lecturers still being victimised in some institutions? What about the 2009 agreement that remains unimplemented?” he asked.
The ASUU president emphasized that the union’s fight was not self-serving but aimed at restoring stability, quality, and dignity to Nigeria’s public university system.
Currently, several universities — including the University of Ibadan, Olabisi Onabanjo University, Tai Solarin University of Education, and the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta — are fully participating in the strike, halting lectures and paralysing academic operations.
Despite the standoff, both sides appear to be inching closer to talks, raising hopes that a lasting solution to the recurring crises in Nigeria’s higher education sector may finally be within reach.
