Education

ASUU rejects parents’ N10,000 offer, insists on continuation of strike

Published

4 years ago

August 26, 2022

ASUU’s National President, Professor Emmanuel Osodeke

The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has rebuffed the proposed payment of N10, 000 per session by each parent under the aegis of the National Parents Teachers Association of Nigeria (NAPTAN) to aid the Federal Government in funding universities.

In a recent interview, Dr. Ademola Ekundayo, spokesman of NAPTAN, said the action was taken to help the Federal Government meet ASUU’s requests.

“It can be called parents’ support levy for universities. We are at the receiving end of the industrial action. We plead with the ASUU and Federal Government to immediately resolve their differences,” he said.

But, ASUU’s National President, Professor Emmanuel Osodeke, responded to the proposal by rejecting it during an appearance on Arise Television, yesterday.

Instead, he advised the association to put more pressure on government

“I think what this association should be doing is to tell the government to perform its function. They should put pressure on the government to use Nigerians’ money to fund education as it is done in other countries.

“We can’t be calling ourselves the giant of Africa and we are the worst in education. You see students from Nigeria going to Ghana, Benin Republic, Togo, and other small countries to study but nobody from these countries are coming to Nigeria to study.

“So they should add to the pressure coming from ASUU to ensure that the government prioritize education. That is more important than the N10,000.”

•Members’ll decide next step

He enjoined Nigerians to disregard a document on social media that ASUU chapters voted for indefinite strike except a particular university in Niger State.

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He, however, confirmed that members from all chapters have been invited for a National Executive Council (NEC) meeting next week.

“It’s at that meeting that they would all vote and decide on the next line of action as regards the six months strike.”

He maintained that ASUU, at national level, do not impose decisions on all the chapters, rather, they present matters to them for critical deliberation and decision on what is good for them and other members, considering their peculiarities.

On August 1, ASUU announced an extension of its ongoing nationwide strike by four weeks to, perhaps, give Federal Government more time to satisfactorily resolve all the outstanding issues but from all indications, the issues are yet to be resolved.

Minister of Education, Mallam Adamu Adamu, told State House Correspondents recently that Federal Government and ASUU have reached agreements on virtually all the contentious areas except the issue of six months salary arrears which he said would not he paid because they did not work for it.

•Abiodun appeals for truce

As the feud lingers, Ogun State Governor, Dapo Abiodun, has appealed to both parties to find ways of resolving the crisis for the interest of students and the nation as a whole.

Abiodun, who made the appeal at the inauguration of the Governing-Councils of the state-owned tertiary institutions in Abeokuta, decried the prolonged crisis, which according to him has done more harm to the education sector of the country.

“This is no more a matter of who is right or who is wrong, it is a matter of what is good for the youths of our nation. I, therefore, appeal to both sides to find a meeting point and resolve this crisis for the good of our youths and our nation in general”, he pleaded.

•NANS rises against lecturers

Meanwhile, the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) has accused lecturers of deliberately prolonging the strike.

Its President, Sunday Asefon, in a statement, said students have been sympathetic and supportive of ASUU’s demands, but have now decided to withdraw their support because of ASUU has been inconsiderate to students’ plight.

“Since the commencement of this ASUU strike six months ago, NANS has advocated and pushed in favour of ASUU. We directed our protests, advocacy, and struggles against the Federal Government, requesting they accede to the demands of the strike lecturers.

“We have supported their demand for earned allowance, revitalization funds for tertiary institutions, and the adoption of the UTAS platform for the payment of university lecturers against the Federal Government’s insistence on IPPIS. In the same vein, we rejected the Minister of Education’s suggestion that students should hold ASUU responsible and seek legal compensation for liabilities suffered as a result of the strike.

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“Undoubtedly, we have supported ASUU this far because we believed those demands are just and reasonable. But we condemne in totality, the insistence of ASUU on the payment of a six month arrears salary for the entire period of the strike before they can call off the strike.

“This demand is not only insensitive, it is also selfish, inconsiderate, and uncharitable. The six months are periods of no work. As much as we encourage the government to pay their arrears irrespective, it is unfair to base resumption of academic activities on full payment of the arrears.”

•NAAT suspends strike, rejects ‘no work, no pay’ policy

However, the National Association of Academic Technologists (NAAT) has announced the suspension of its three-month strike.

National President of NAAT, Ibeji Nwokoma, who addressed journalists in Abuja, said the decision was taken at the National Executive Council (NEC) meeting because it had secured commitments and resolutions on some of its demands, even as it rejected the ‘No work, No pay’ policy of the Federal Government.

He listed commitments secured from the Federal Government to include the release of enabling circular on CONTISS 14 and 15, agreements on payment of arrears of minimum wage/consequential adjustments, payment of occupational hazard allowance, implementation of responsibility allowance, among others.

He said: “Following this understanding with Government, NAAT as a democratic union directed all its branches to conduct referendum on whether to suspend or continue the strike action. NEC of NAAT met and considered the results from branches hence the decision to suspend the strike effective, Thursday 25th August, 2022.

“The result of the referendum from branches showed that 80.56 per cent voted in favour of suspension of the strike while 19.44 per cent voted for continuation of the strike action.”

But he said at the expiration of the three months window period, NAAT would not hesitate to resume the suspended action without notice if all the issues agreed upon with the education minister on behalf of Government were not holistically addressed.

NAAT had embarked on the strike on 21st March, 2022 to press home its demands which include non-full implementation of FGN/NAAT 2009 agreement, refusal to release enabling circular for the implementation of CONTISS 14 and 15 for academic technologists, non-payment of the arrears of Earned Academic Allowances to our members, among others.

Related Topics:ASUU Featured parents strike

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Education

Tinubu Approves Fresh Education Appointments

Published

3 days ago

April 22, 2026

Trends Admin

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu

Tinubu Approves Fresh Education Appointments

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has approved a series of new appointments across key education agencies in Nigeria, including the National Examinations Council (NECO) and the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE), in a move aimed at strengthening governance and improving standards in the education sector.

The appointments were announced on Wednesday in a statement by the President’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, who said the decision reflects ongoing reforms under the Federal Ministry of Education to enhance institutional efficiency and service delivery.

As part of the changes, Tinubu appointed Prof. Modupe Adeola Adelabu as Chairman of the Governing Board of NECO, while retaining Prof. Ibrahim Dantani Wushishi as Registrar of the examination body to ensure continuity in national examination administration.

The President also named Prof. Babatunde Salako as Chairman of the NBTE, while earlier confirming the reappointment of Prof. Idris Bugaje as Executive Secretary of the agency for a second and final five-year term.

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In the polytechnic sector, the President approved the appointment of Dr Bongfa Binfa as Rector of the Federal Polytechnic, N’yak-Shendam, Plateau State, for a single five-year tenure. Binfa succeeds Dr Mukaila Zakari Ya’u, whose tenure ended in March 2026. Before his appointment, he served as Deputy Rector (Academic) at the Federal Polytechnic of Oil and Gas, Bonny.

Tinubu also renewed the tenure of Prof. Chinwe Veronica Anunobi as Director-General of the National Library of Nigeria for a final five-year term. Her renewed mandate is expected to sustain ongoing reforms, including the expansion of digital learning platforms such as the National Repository of Nigeria and the National Virtual Library.

According to the presidency, the appointments are designed to strengthen leadership across education agencies in Nigeria, promote education reform in Nigeria, and improve the performance of institutions responsible for examinations, technical training, and knowledge management.

Officials noted that Prof. Adelabu brings extensive experience in educational administration, having previously served as Deputy Governor of Ekiti State and NBTE chairman, while Prof. Salako is a former Director-General of the Nigerian Institute of Medical Research.

The government said the renewed and new appointments will help consolidate ongoing reforms, enhance institutional stability, and support long-term projects such as the completion of the National Library headquarters in Abuja.

Analysts say the latest move reflects the Tinubu administration’s broader push to reposition Nigeria’s education system through experienced leadership, continuity in key agencies, and a stronger focus on technical and digital learning infrastructure.

Tinubu Approves Fresh Education Appointments

Education

FG Opens PTDF Scholarship 2026: Requirements, Deadline, and Application Steps

Published

5 days ago

April 20, 2026

Trends Admin

NDDC shortlists applicants for foreign scholarship award

FG Opens PTDF Scholarship 2026: Requirements, Deadline, and Application Steps

The Federal Government has officially opened applications for the 2025/2026 PTDF in-country scholarship in Nigeria, offering financial support to undergraduate and postgraduate students studying engineering and energy-related disciplines in Nigerian universities.

The programme, administered by the Petroleum Technology Development Fund (PTDF), opened its portal on Monday, April 20, 2026, and will close on Friday, May 29, 2026. The initiative is part of efforts to boost local capacity in Nigeria’s oil, gas, and energy sectors and reduce reliance on foreign expertise.

As demand grows for skilled professionals in the energy industry, the PTDF scholarship 2026 targets students in fields such as petroleum engineering, mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, civil engineering, chemical engineering, geosciences, environmental management, and energy economics. Only candidates admitted into accredited Nigerian universities are eligible to apply.

Applications must be completed online via the official PTDF portal: https://scholarship.ptdf.gov.ng, where candidates are expected to follow a structured process carefully to avoid disqualification.

Applicants must possess a valid National Identification Number (NIN), as NIN verification for PTDF scholarship is a mandatory requirement. The selection process is merit-based, considering academic performance and the relevance of the applicant’s course to national development priorities.

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The application procedure is detailed and must be followed step by step to ensure a successful submission.

Step-by-step application process

Create an account
Visit the PTDF scholarship portal and register by filling in your personal details. A confirmation email will be sent with instructions to activate your account and set a password.
Log in to the portal
Use your registered email address and password to access the application dashboard.
Verify your NIN
Complete the NIN verification process before proceeding. PTDF advises candidates to avoid repeated failed attempts and instead use support channels if issues arise.
Accept terms and conditions
Carefully read and accept the disclaimer and terms of the programme. Failure to accept automatically ends the application process.
Fill the application form
Complete all required sections with accurate information. Ensure consistency with your official documents to avoid disqualification.
Select course and institution
Choose your preferred universities and programmes (first, second, and third choices). Postgraduate applicants must upload a statement of purpose for PTDF scholarship (MSc) or a research proposal (PhD).
Upload required documents
Submit all mandatory documents, including academic certificates, birth certificate, and local government identification. Files must meet specified size and format requirements (usually PDF).
Add additional credentials (optional)
Upload professional memberships, certifications, or publications where applicable to strengthen your application.
Review your application
Carefully preview all entries and documents to correct any errors before submission.
Submit your application
Finalise and submit your application. Note that no edits can be made after submission, and multiple submissions may lead to disqualification.

The PTDF scholarship application process is highly competitive, and only candidates who meet all requirements and demonstrate strong academic potential will be selected. Successful applicants will receive support covering tuition, stipends, and essential learning materials.

Unlike its overseas counterpart, the PTDF in-country scholarship scheme focuses on strengthening Nigeria’s domestic education system and building a skilled workforce within local institutions. Experts say the programme plays a critical role in bridging technical skill gaps and supporting reforms in the energy sector.

The initiative also aligns with national policies under the Electricity Act 2023, which emphasise local capacity development and sustainable energy growth.

Interested candidates are encouraged to apply early via https://scholarship.ptdf.gov.ng and ensure full compliance with all guidelines before the May 29, 2026 deadline to improve their chances of success in the 2026 PTDF scholarship Nigeria programme.

FG Opens PTDF Scholarship 2026: Requirements, Deadline, and Application Steps

Education

University Workers’ Union Gives FG Ultimatum Over Failed Renegotiation

Published

5 days ago

April 20, 2026

Trends Admin

Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU)

University Workers’ Union Gives FG Ultimatum Over Failed Renegotiation

The Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities has issued a strong warning to the Federal Government, insisting that ongoing negotiations on university workers’ welfare must be concluded by April 30, 2026, or face a nationwide industrial action.

The warning followed a National Executive Council (NEC) meeting held on Saturday at the union’s national secretariat in Abuja, where leaders reviewed the status of the long-running renegotiation process between university-based unions and the Federal Government.

In a communiqué signed by SSANU National President, Muhammad Ibrahim, the union stressed that contrary to reports circulating in the public space, the renegotiation process has not been concluded and no final agreement has been signed.

The union also dismissed claims suggesting that a 30 percent increase in allowances had already been approved, describing such reports as misleading and not reflective of the ongoing discussions.

SSANU warned that it will not accept any outcome that falls below the agreed expectations reached during negotiations, insisting that principles of fairness, collective bargaining, and due process must be respected by the Federal Government.

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The NEC reaffirmed its earlier ultimatum issued alongside the Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions, giving the government from April 1 to April 30, 2026, to conclude negotiations and sign a binding agreement.

It warned that failure to meet the deadline would leave both unions with no option but to embark on an indefinite, comprehensive, and total strike action across Nigerian universities, potentially disrupting academic and administrative activities nationwide.

SSANU further urged its members across all branches to remain calm, vigilant, and united, while preparing to fully comply with any directive issued by the union leadership in defence of their welfare and professional dignity.

The union also reiterated its commitment to pursuing justice through dialogue but insisted that it would not hesitate to act if the Federal Government fails to demonstrate urgency in addressing the outstanding issues.

The dispute is largely centered on unresolved demands relating to salary structure adjustments, welfare packages, earned allowances, and poor funding of Nigerian universities, which SSANU says have remained pending for years.

Education stakeholders have warned that another breakdown in negotiations could once again trigger widespread disruptions in the Nigerian university system, which has experienced repeated strikes in recent years.