By John Umeh
Nigeria’s public universities may soon be plunged into another nationwide shutdown as the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has warned that its patience with the Federal Government is fast running out.
Speaking at a press briefing held at the University of Jos on Thursday, ASUU President, Professor Christopher Piwuna, accused the government of sustaining “a troubling culture of unfulfilled promises and deliberate delay tactics,” despite years of negotiations and consultations.
“Trust has been destroyed by the government. It is up to them to rebuild it. We cannot continue this journey on empty tanks,” Piwuna declared, hinting strongly at a possible strike if urgent action is not taken.
Key Disputes with Government
At the heart of ASUU’s grievances is the 2009 FGN-ASUU Agreement, which the union has repeatedly called for renegotiation. A new draft agreement, submitted in February 2025 by the Yayale Ahmed-led committee, has remained untouched by government officials. The document covers salaries, working conditions, university autonomy, and funding, yet it has been left on the shelf.
The union is also resisting the government’s proposed Tertiary Institutions Staff Support Fund (TISSF), which seeks to provide loans to academic staff. ASUU dismissed the initiative as “a poisoned chalice,” warning that it would impoverish lecturers and weaken cooperative societies.
“Our members do not lack loan options,” Piwuna argued. “What we need is fair wages, the settlement of withheld salaries, and respect for collective bargaining agreements.”
Mounting Concerns in the University System
The union also expressed anger over what it described as the reckless proliferation of universities, claiming many of them are created as political patronage projects without proper funding. With 72 federal, 108 state, and 159 private universities already in operation, ASUU warned that spreading thin resources is one reason Nigerian universities continue to decline in global rankings.
Beyond infrastructure, ASUU raised concerns about the plight of retired academics under the Contributory Pension Scheme (CPS). According to Piwuna, professors who dedicated over four decades to teaching and research now earn as little as ₦150,000 monthly, a figure he described as “cruel and unacceptable” in the face of inflation and soaring living costs.
NEC Ultimatum and Warning Rallies
Following its National Executive Council (NEC) meeting held at Usmanu Danfodio University, Sokoto, ASUU resolved to give the Federal Government until its scheduled August 28 meeting to address these grievances. In the meantime, the union has announced that warning rallies will be held across campuses next week to sensitize students and Nigerians on the crisis.
“We have written letters, pursued dialogue, and waited patiently. But the government continues to turn a deaf ear. If they fail to act after August 28, we may have no choice but to resume strike,” Piwuna warned.
Call for Intervention
The union appealed to well-meaning Nigerians — including the National Assembly, traditional rulers, the Nigeria Inter-Religious Council (NIREC), and the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) — to intervene and prevail on the government before the university system suffers another devastating disruption.
ASUU restated its four core demands:
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Renegotiation and implementation of the 2009 ASUU-FGN Agreement.
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Sustainable funding for universities.
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Revitalization of dilapidated infrastructure.
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An end to the victimization of union members in universities such as LASU, Prince Abubakar Audu University, and FUTO.
Concluding his address, Piwuna stressed:
“The most powerful weapon against poverty, extremism, and ignorance is not the bullet, but education. Nigeria cannot afford another academic shutdown.”
