Barring any last-minute intervention, the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) will commence a two-week warning strike on Monday following the expiration of its two-week ultimatum to the Federal Government.
The ultimatum, which ended on Sunday night, demanded that the government address long-standing issues affecting the university system. However, as of press time, the Federal Government had not made any official statement regarding the looming industrial action.
ASUU had earlier directed its branches nationwide to prepare for the warning strike, signaling another potential disruption in the country’s tertiary education sector.
Despite ongoing talks aimed at preventing the strike, tension remains high. Speaking in Abuja on Wednesday, the Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, said the government was in the final phase of negotiations with ASUU and other unions over issues such as staff welfare, university funding, and implementation of the 2009 ASUU-FGN Agreement.
According to Alausa, the Tinubu administration had made notable progress by releasing ₦50 billion for Earned Academic Allowances (EAA) and allocating another ₦150 billion in the 2025 budget for needs assessment, to be disbursed in three phases.
“Lecturers deserve fair pay, and both academic and non-academic staff deserve better welfare,” Alausa said. “We can’t meet all demands at once, but our sincerity and commitment to gradual improvement are clear.”
He added that the government had cleared promotion arrears and several other allowances, including teaching and wage awards, assuring that all remaining obligations would be settled by 2026.
Reaffirming the government’s commitment to lasting peace in the education sector, Alausa appealed to ASUU and other unions to prioritize dialogue over strike actions.
“We’ve resolved most of the key issues. We’re now at the final stage — the conditions of service. This government is sincere and has shown that over the past two years. We ask for patience,” he said.
He further revealed that, for the first time, the Solicitor-General of the Federation and officials from the Ministry of Justice were directly involved in the negotiation process to ensure the agreements are legally binding and enforceable.
However, ASUU President Prof. Chris Piwuna accused the government of failing to act promptly on pressing matters affecting university lecturers.
“Our ultimatum ends on Sunday. After that, there will be a warning strike unless something meaningful comes from the government,” Piwuna stated. “If we receive a concrete offer, we’ll consult our members to decide the next steps.”
Reports from various federal universities — including the University of Jos, Ahmadu Bello University, and the University of Abuja — confirmed that mobilization for the strike has already begun.
At the University of Jos, ASUU leaders reportedly met with union members to solidify support for the strike has already begun
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