ABUJA — The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) on Sunday announced that it expects an official response from the Federal Government of Nigeria by Monday as its looming two-week warning strike enters a critical phase. The union emphasized that its next move — including possible escalation — will hinge significantly on feedback from the Federal Ministry of Education.
ASUU National President Chris Piwuna told journalists in Abuja that the union is closely watching developments and will convene its national executive council as soon as feedback arrives. “We are expecting feedback from the ministry on Monday. For now, there’s nothing more to say,” he said, without elaborating on what measures ASUU might pursue next.
The announcement follows a two-week warning strike that began on Oct. 13, launched in protest against what ASUU describes as the government’s disregard for longstanding demands, including payment of withheld salary arrears, unremitted pension funds and release of a ₦50 billion revitalisation fund. The union also demands implementation of a renegotiated agreement produced by the Yayale Ahmed-led negotiation committee more than eight months ago.
In an earlier broadcast interview, Minister of Education Tunji Alausa accused ASUU of striking without justification, insisting that the government has “addressed every single request” and issued a formal counter-proposal aimed at resolving the dispute. “There is no need for this strike,” he said, adding that decisive steps have been taken to fortify funding for public universities, including a ₦683 billion infrastructure allocation in the 2025 budget.
Yet ASUU leadership has publicly rejected the government’s position. Piwuna said the ₦50 billion disbursed toward earned academic allowances (EAA) does not cover the full arrears of at least ₦103 billion, and accused the ministry of using delay tactics. “They ask for two weeks, then another three — that’s stalling,” he said. The union also insisted that only three-and-a-half months of withheld salary arrears were paid, though prior agreements included full payment.
Even as ASUU waits for a response, the Senate of Nigeria has waded into the dispute, accusing the Federal Government of breaking earlier agreements and promising a joint meeting with the education ministry and the National Universities Commission to resolve the crisis. Senate Committee on Tertiary Institutions Chairman Mohammed Dandutse said a full Senate report will be submitted and that lawmakers plan to urge President Bola Tinubu to intervene personally.
Dandutse emphasized that “education is the backbone of national development” and warned that continued unrest could cripple the public university system. Senator Olubiyi Fadeyi added that ASUU’s demands “are not unreasonable,” lamenting that successive governments have habitually signed agreements only to abandon them.
The government, through Alausa, insists that wide-ranging initiatives already under way should satisfy ASUU’s concerns. Besides infrastructure funding, Alausa cited plans for academic staff training, expansion of medical schools, and disbursement of funds to boost student support programs. He also accused ASUU leadership of prolonging negotiation by insisting that disbursement of needs-assessment funds should be channelled exclusively through the union rather than shared with polytechnics and colleges of education.
But ASUU remains unmoved. Piwuna praised lecturers’ sacrifice and vowed the strike could escalate if no tangible government action is taken. “We don’t want students left in limbo,” he said. “But we insist that reforms, not rhetoric, are necessary for peace to return.” The union has also raised concerns about a possible land grab by the Federal Capital Territory Administration, which ASUU says could jeopardize future academic and agricultural research.
The countdown to Monday’s deadline is set against a backdrop of intensifying public pressure. Business owners and parents have warned of severe socioeconomic ripple effects if universities remain shut, while analysts fear that prolonged disruptions could discourage top students from pursuing academic careers or fuel brain drain from Nigeria’s public university system.
As the nation waits, ASUU insists its patience is not infinite — and that Monday’s response from the government could determine whether negotiations restart in good faith, or whether a more disruptive confrontation looms on the horizon.
