By John Umeh
In a bold move aimed at ensuring lasting stability in Nigeria’s educational sector, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has issued a firm directive to his administration to put an end to all forms of industrial actions by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) and other labor unions within the nation’s public institutions. The disclosure was made by Dr. Yusuf Alausa, a top official in the Federal Ministry of Education, during a press briefing in Abuja on Monday.
According to Alausa, President Tinubu has made it clear that resolving the persistent issue of strikes, especially within universities and other tertiary institutions, is not negotiable. The president reportedly described the recurring disruptions to academic calendars as a major obstacle to national development, innovation, and global competitiveness.
“The President has given us a clear and urgent mandate: to ensure that ASUU and all related unions never have to go on strike again,” Alausa said. “This government is fully committed to dialogue, reforms, and strategic investments in education. We cannot continue with the cycle of strike, resumption, and re-negotiation. It is time to find a permanent solution.”
Over the past decade, ASUU strikes have become a recurring challenge in Nigeria’s public university system, with students often losing academic years due to unresolved disagreements over salaries, funding, and university autonomy. The 2022 eight-month-long strike remains one of the most recent and damaging examples of this trend.
Alausa noted that the Tinubu administration is already working behind the scenes with key stakeholders to rework existing agreements, reform university funding structures, and establish sustainable mechanisms for dispute resolution. According to him, part of the plan includes setting up a high-powered education reform task force that will collaborate directly with ASUU, NASU, SSANU, and other relevant bodies to address long-standing grievances and rebuild trust.
While ASUU is yet to issue an official response to the president’s directive, insiders within the union have welcomed any sincere effort aimed at ending what they describe as the “chronic neglect of Nigeria’s educational system.”
Students, parents, and education advocates have also reacted positively to the news, though many remain cautiously optimistic. “We’ve heard promises like this before, but if Tinubu can actually follow through, it would be a game-changer,” said Femi Ajayi, a final-year student at the University of Lagos.
As President Tinubu’s administration moves forward with its ambitious plan, all eyes will be on whether this latest pledge marks the beginning of a new era for Nigeria’s educational system—or another unfulfilled promise in a long history of industrial unrest.
