As it is, barring any last-minute change, the ASUU will on Monday, October 13, 2025, commence a two-week nationwide warning strike to press home its demands from the Federal Government.
By Emma Ogbuehi
Nigeria’s university system may again be headed for a long period of shutdown unless reasons prevail and proactive measures taken by the federal government in addressing the grievances of members of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU). At the heart of the matter is the 2009 agreement between the government and the lecturers on adequate funding of the system and staff welfare
As it is, barring any last-minute change, the ASUU will on Monday, October 13, 2025, commence a two-week nationwide warning strike to press home its demands from the Federal Government.
This was contained in a memo tagged “Strike Bulletin One” sent to all branches on Monday in Abuja.
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The planned strike follows a two-week ultimatum issued by the union last week, asking the Federal Government to address its unresolved issues, including the signing and implementation of the renegotiated 2009 ASUU-FGN Agreement.
In the fresh memo to branches, ASUU National President, Prof. Chris Piwuna, lamented the government’s failure to provide any meaningful response to the union’s demands despite the ultimatum.
“The National Executive Council of our union, at its emergency meeting of 28 September, 2025, having evaluated the results of the referendum held across branches, resolved to give government a 14-day ultimatum to resolve the issues contained in the negotiated document transmitted to government since February, 2025,” Piwuna wrote.
“It was further resolved that the union will proceed on a two-week warning strike at the expiration of the ultimatum if government fails to take acceptable and satisfactory steps to address the lingering issues.
“The resolutions were immediately communicated to the Honourable Minister of Labour, the Honourable Minister of Education and the Nigeria Labour Congress. It is now one week since those resolutions were reached and communicated to the appropriate authorities.
“I regret to inform you that there is no meaningful development deserving any consideration to be reported.”
The ASUU president thanked members for their patience during what he described as “a tortuous negotiation” that has dragged on for more than eight years, urging them to remain united and resolute.
“The goal of our current action remains principally to compel the government to sign and implement the renegotiated agreement document, among other demands. The days ahead call for mobilisation of every member of our union to ensure unity of purpose. No one should be left out of the struggle for our welfare, to stem the japa syndrome, and reposition the Nigerian university system for global competitiveness, the ASUU President stated.
The Union had listed areas of demands the government should address to avert the closure of the public university system again. These included; re-negotiation of the 2009 ASUU-FGN Agreement, sustainable funding of public universities, revitalisation of universities, an end to the alleged victimisation of ASUU members in Lagos State University (LASU), Kogi State University (KSU), now Prince Abubakar Audu University, and Federal University of Technology, Owerri (FUTO), payment of outstanding 25–35% salary arrears, settlement of promotion arrears spanning over four years, and remittance of outstanding third-party deductions.
This is the second time ASUU would be issuing threats of industrial action in the last two months. The Union had in August, called on stakeholders, including the National Assembly, religious leaders, traditional rulers and students, to prevail on the Federal Government to avoid actions that would push the teachers on a nationwide strike. ASUU made the call on the heels of protests by its members across the country, especially in Federal Government-owned universities.
In the ensuing build-up, Piwuna has asked members to take directives only from their branch chairpersons, urging strict adherence to union channels.
