ASUU Urges National Assembly and Stakeholders to Intervene as Strike Looms

The Academic Staff Union of Universities has appealed to the National Assembly, religious leaders, traditional rulers, students, and other stakeholders to prevail on the Federal Government to avoid a nationwide shutdown of public universities.

The warning follows protests by ASUU chapters across the country, particularly in federal universities. The union also dismissed the government’s offer of staff loans as a Greek gift, insisting that prompt payment of entitlements would make such loans unnecessary.

The Federal Ministry of Education said it is working to prevent a full blown industrial action. Its Director of Public Affairs, Folasade Boriowo, confirmed that the Minister, Dr Tunji Alausa, will meet ASUU leaders on Thursday August 28 2025, expressing confidence that issues will be resolved.

At the University of Lagos, branch chair Idowu Kehinde argued that university governing councils can provide loans under existing conditions of service, making a federal loan scheme redundant. In the Akure Zone, Zonal Coordinator Adeola Egbedokun said the government’s failure to address ASUU’s long standing demands since the start of the current administration has stretched lecturers’ patience to breaking point.

Protests also held at the University of Uyo, where the chapter halted Computer Based Test exams and warned that the union could embark on an indefinite strike without urgent action. At the University of Jos, the branch urged President Tinubu to restore confidence by concluding a renegotiation process that has dragged for over eight years.

In Umudike, the Michael Okpara University of Agriculture chapter described the 2009 renegotiated salary figures as obsolete given current economic realities, noting that they fall far below the African average. ASUU further called for the release of 150 billion naira in revalidation funds to universities as reflected in the 2025 budget.

The University of Abuja chapter cited three and a half months of unpaid salaries, a full year of outstanding 25 and 35 percent wage awards, and more than five years of promotion arrears. Alex Ekwueme Federal University in Ebonyi State also saw academic activities disrupted as members decried an outdated salary structure.

At the University of Ibadan and Emmanuel Alayande University of Education, lecturers marched with leaders of the Nigeria Labour Congress and set an August 28 deadline for the government to sign the renegotiated agreement or face a nationwide strike. In Ilorin, the chapter demanded higher education funding and an end to what it described as delay tactics on staff welfare. In Maiduguri, union leaders said the country cannot progress while treating its intellectuals with disregard, citing meagre pension outcomes for professors despite decades of service.

ASUU says it remains ready to engage but warns that the window for dialogue is closing fast without concrete government action.