The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) will today, Monday, October 13, 2025, commence a two-week warning strike following the expiration of the ultimatum issued to the Federal Government on Sunday.
The National President of ASUU, Prof. Chris Piwuna, announced this at a press briefing held at the University of 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 at the expiry of the 14-day notice given on the 28th September 2025. Consequently, all branches of ASUU are hereby directed to withdraw their services with effect from midnight on Monday, the 13th October, 2025. The warning strike shall be total and comprehensive as agreed at the last NEC meeting.”
The strike action follows a breakdown in negotiations between ASUU and the Federal Government despite efforts to reach a compromise.
Last Wednesday, the Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, said the government had entered the final phase of talks with ASUU and other unions to resolve outstanding disputes over welfare, funding, and the implementation of the 2009 ASUU-FGN Agreement.
According to Alausa, the Tinubu administration had released ₦50 billion for Earned Academic Allowances, while another ₦150 billion had been captured in the 2025 budget for needs assessment, to be disbursed in three tranches.
A government source revealed that an invitation was extended to ASUU last Friday to prevent the planned strike, but the union rejected the proposal presented to them.
The source said, “The minister made efforts to reach out to the leadership of the union, but they refused to pick up calls. A proposal was made, but they went ahead with the strike.”
Prof. Piwuna confirmed that ASUU rejected the government’s proposal, describing it as inconsistent with the recommendations of the Yayale Ahmed Committee.
He stated, “The presentation to ASUU was a total departure from the letter and spirit of the review of the draft agreement submitted by the Yayale Ahmed committee to the ministry.
In consonance with our union’s principles, ASUU will soon submit its position – pointing out areas of deliberate distortion, inconsistency and flagrant disregard for extant laws, policies and practices – to the Federal Government.”
He added, “Suffice to state, however, that the hurriedly packaged documents were provocative and incapable of dousing industrial tensions which had reached an irreversible pitch across our campuses.”
Piwuna further noted that, “The Federal Government raised our members’ hopes in resolving the lingering issues before we held the August 2025 NEC meeting at the Usmanu Danfodio University, Sokoto, by asking for three weeks of grace to sort out things. It was a hard sell, but the leadership managed to convince NEC to exercise a little more patience. The pre-UDUS NEC hope was dashed without a blink.”
ASUU’s demands include the conclusion of the renegotiated 2009 FGN-ASUU Agreement, release of withheld three and a half months’ salaries, sustainable funding of public universities, revitalisation projects, and an end to the victimisation of lecturers in Lagos State University, Kogi State University (Prince Abubakar Audu University), and Federal University of Technology, Owerri.
The union also wants the payment of 25–35% salary arrears, promotion arrears for over four years, and the release of withheld third-party deductions, including cooperative contributions and union dues.
In reaction to ASUU’s strike declaration, the Federal Government threatened to implement the no-work-no-pay policy.
In a joint statement issued on Sunday night by the Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, and the Minister of State for Education, Prof Suwaiba Ahmad, the government urged ASUU to reconsider its decision and embrace dialogue.
The statement, signed by the ministry’s spokesperson, Folasade Boriowo, read: “The Federal Government has made a comprehensive offer to the union and is still awaiting ASUU’s official response. The offer addresses the union’s primary concerns, including working conditions, institutional governance, and staff welfare.”
It continued, “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, GCFR.”
According to them, dialogue remains the most effective and sustainable path to resolving disagreements, and government remains open to engagement at any level to prevent unnecessary disruption in the education sector.”
The statement also warned, “The ‘no work, no pay’ policy remains an extant labour law of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, and the government will be guided by this law should academic activities be disrupted in the nation’s universities. While government continues to demonstrate goodwill and flexibility, it will not abdicate its responsibility to uphold fairness and accountability in the use of public resources.”
The ministry reassured students, parents, and the public that the Federal Government is committed to maintaining industrial harmony in the tertiary education system.
“The ministers appealed to all academic unions to embrace partnership and dialogue rather than confrontation, in the collective interest of the nation’s higher education system,” the statement concluded.