Education

Looming strike: ASUU asks NASS, others to intervene

Published

1 year ago

August 27, 2025

ASUU Crisis Deepens: Lagos Universities Join UNIBEN, Taraba on Indefinite Strike

Looming strike: ASUU asks NASS, others to intervene

The Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, has called on stakeholders, including the National Assembly, religious leaders, traditional rulers and students, to caution the Federal Government against pushing university teachers to embark on a nationwide strike.

The call came on the heels of protests by members of the union across the country, especially in Federal Government-owned universities.

This is just as the union described the decision of the government to offer its members loans as a Greek gift which, according to it, is unnecessary if the government paid their dues and entitlements.

We won’t allow matters to degenerate —FG

But the government in its immediate response, yesterday, expressed optimism that it would not be allowed to degenerate to a full blown industrial action.

Director of Public Affairs, Federal Ministry of Education, Mrs Folasade Boriowo, who stated this yesterday, said: “A delegation of the Federal Ministry of Education, to be led by the Minister, Dr. Tunji Alausa, will be meeting with the leaders of the union on Thursday (tomorrow) and I am confident that things would be sorted out. Nothing will be allowed to get out of hand.’’

However, leading his members on a protest around the campus, University of Lagos, UNILAG, branch chairman, Prof. Idou Keinde, said: “The loans are to be guaranteed by our union. This is not necessary, the governing council of each university can give loans to our members based on our condition of service.

READ ALSO:

Our patience being exhausted —Akure Zone

The Zonal Coordinator, ASUU Akure Zone, Professor Adeola Egbedokun, expressed deep concern over the alleged failure of President Bola Tinubu’s administration to attend to the various demands of the union since his assumption of office two years ago.

Egbedokun, who spoke at a briefing at Federal University, Oye Ekiti, yesterday, said the Federal Government’s failure to heed ASUU’s several calls and agitations had pushed the lecturers to the edge, adding that their patience had been stretched to its breaking point.

The ASUU leader said: “We will fight back and the consequences would be damning, except the government takes a decisive step to attend to all our requests urgently.

“While we take note of the government’s planned meeting of August 28, 2025, let it be clear that the clock is ticking, and time is no longer on the government’s side. Our patience has been stretched to its breaking point.

ASUU shuts UNIUYO, suspends exams

At the University of Uyo, UNIUYO, the protesting lecturers, led by Prof. Opeyemi Olajide, the chairperson, ASUU UNIUYO, said: “Today (yesterday), university lecturers are staging a protest to let the world know how Federal Government is treating us with disdain.

‘’The government has decided to destroy public university system as it did to public primary and secondary schools.”

He ordered all students, who came for their Computer-Based Test, CBT, exams to go home as no examination would be administered, threatening that the union might embark on indefinite strike if nothing was done to address their concerns.

Renew our hope now, says UNIJOS ASUU

Similarly, lecturers at the University of Jos, led by the branch chairperson, Comrade Jurbe Molwus, called on President Tinubu to renew their hope.

READ ALSO:

According to him, the hope of members in the FG doing the needful is fading away.

“Time is running out. Considering the fact that we have been on this renegotiation for over eight years, trust has been destroyed by government,” he cautioned.

Meet our demands or …—MOUAU ASUU

ASUU members at the Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike, accused the government of insensitivity over their plight.

Speaking during the protest, chairman of ASUU, MOUAU chapter, Professor Chike Ugwuene, said the current economic realities had made the 2009 renegotiated agreement, which recommended less than N500,000 as take-home for a professor, a mockery, arguing that the recommendation was far less than the African average of N1.5 million.

ASUU also demanded the release of N150 billion revalidation fund to universities as captured in the 2025 budget.

UNIABUJA joins

ASUU members at the University of Abuja, also joined the nationwide protest.

Addressing the protesters, Dr. Sylvanus Ugoh, chairman of ASUU, UNIABUJA chapter, said the action was aimed at drawing the attention of the federal government and the public to the worsening hardship confronting academic staff.

He revealed that the government currently owed lecturers three and a half months’ salaries, a full year arrears of the 25 and 35 per cent wage awards, as well as over five years of unpaid promotion arrears.

Ebonyi varsity ASUU too

The protest paralysed academic activities at Alex Ekwueme Federal University, Ndufu-Alike Ikwo (AE-FUNAI), Ebonyi State, as the lecturers marched along the major roads within and outside the school.

READ ALSO:

The chairperson of ASUU AE-FUNAI, Comrade Louis Omenyi, while briefing newsmen after the protest, accused the Federal Government of paying lecturers obsolete and expired salaries structure, describing it as unacceptable.

We’ll shut down universities indefinitely if …—UI ASUU

Lecturers at the University of Ibadan, UI, and Emmanuel Alayande University of Education, Oyo, under the aegis of the Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, also staged a peaceful protest yesterday, warning President Tinubu to sign the renegotiated agreement with the union by August 28 or risk a full-scale strike across Nigeria’s public universities.

The lecturers, joined by the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, said they had been “pushed to the wall” by the federal government’s prolonged delay in honouring agreements dating back as far as 2009.

At UI, ASUU chairman, Dr. Adefemi Afolabi, led the protest, alongside Oyo State NLC chairman, Mr Kayode Martins.

Unilorin ASUU stages protest

The chairman of the union at University of Ilorin, Dr. Alex Akanmu, said: “University workers are not slaves, increase budgetary allocation for education. As peace loving as we are, we can no longer allow the welfare of our members to be subjected to the delay tactics of this government.

UNIMAID ASUU protests

Speaking on behalf of the protesters at the University of Maiduguri, the ASUU chairman, Dr. Abubakar Mshelia, said treating intellectuals with such disregard cannot result to meaningful progress in Nigeria.

He said: “Professors who have dedicated over four decades to educating generations retire on a meagre N150,000 under the contributory pension scheme, while inflation exceeds 21 per cent.

‘’This is not just a labour issue, it is a national disgrace. A country that treats its intellectuals with such disregard cannot expect meaningful progress.”

Looming strike: ASUU asks NASS, others to intervene

Vanguard

Education

Niger State Urges Local Communities to Protect Newly Completed Public Schools

Published

2 hours ago

September 16, 2026

Hamdalat Bisiriyu

Niger State Urges Local Communities to Protect Newly Completed Public Schools

Basic education officials deliver modern classrooms to help children learn safely, kicking off an ambitious statewide renovation drive.

State education leaders in Niger State are calling on neighborhood residents and parent groups to take good care of newly renovated primary schools.

On Wednesday, the head of the Niger State Universal Basic Education Board, Dr. Ibrahim A. Liman, reminded communities that public classrooms belong to everyone, warning that state funding can only make a lasting difference when local people watch over these shared spaces.

To prepare for handing over the keys, board officials visited Zango Primary School in Kontagora and Richard Lander Primary School in New Bussa. These two locations are the first to finish out of seven model schools currently under construction.

During their visits, team members inspected classrooms to make sure builders followed high safety standards, while encouraging neighbors to keep the grounds secure, tidy, and ready for pupils.

Furthermore, state officials explained that these building projects are part of a larger plan to improve early education across every community. Alongside these new classrooms, the board is starting repair work on about 400 primary schools throughout the state.

In addition to fixing desks and roofs, authorities are upgrading classroom teaching tools and supporting teachers. As a result, children across all backgrounds will have safe, welcoming spaces to learn and grow together.

Niger State Urges Local Communities to Protect Newly Completed Public Schools

Education

LASU, LASUED, LASUSTECH Shut as ASUU Begins Indefinite Strike

Published

16 hours ago

September 16, 2026

Hamdalat Bisiriyu

LASU, LASUED, LASUSTECH Shut as ASUU Begins Indefinite Strike

Students at three Lagos State-owned universities are facing an indefinite interruption of academic activities after ASUU declared a strike over unresolved demands.

LASU, LASUED and LASUSTECH are affected by the industrial action announced by the union’s Joint Campus Group.

ASUU said it had given the Lagos State Government 14 days from August 31 to address its concerns. According to the union, the deadline expired without a concrete plan or meaningful dialogue.

The union had also issued a final warning on September 10, but said the September 13 deadline passed without talks.

Its main demand is for Lagos State to domesticate and implement the December 2025 Federal Government-ASUU agreement across the three institutions.

ASUU also wants the implementation of welfare provisions, including the Consolidated Academic Tools Allowance for serving and retired academic staff.

The union said the strike would continue until negotiations produce a satisfactory outcome. It also urged students and parents to remain calm.

While the dispute has led to a fresh shutdown in Lagos, another ASUU branch has suspended its strike in Plateau State.

The Plateau State University branch reached an agreement with the state government on issues including the 2025 agreement, outstanding arrears, staff accommodation and other demands. Members are expected to return to academic activities from midnight on September 16.

Meanwhile, ASUU at Taraba State University has issued a fresh 14-day ultimatum to the Taraba State Government. The notice runs from September 14 to September 28 and concerns outstanding provisions of the 2025 Federal Government-ASUU agreement.

LASU, LASUED, LASUSTECH Shut as ASUU Begins Indefinite Strike

Education

ASUU Crisis Deepens: Lagos Universities Join UNIBEN, Taraba on Indefinite Strike

Published

1 day ago

September 15, 2026

Trends Admin

ASUU Crisis Deepens: Lagos Universities Join UNIBEN, Taraba on Indefinite Strike

The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has not declared a nationwide indefinite strike. However, the union’s national leadership has issued a fresh threat to resume its suspended national strike without notice, while at least three university branches are currently on indefinite strike over unresolved welfare disputes with state governments.

The confusion stems from a wave of branch-level industrial actions that began in early September 2026, combined with an emergency National Executive Council (NEC) resolution warning that a nationwide shutdown could be activated “within the shortest time possible” if governments fail to honour the 2025 Federal Government-ASUU agreement.

The ASUU branches at the three Lagos State-owned universities declared a total, comprehensive, and indefinite strike on September 15, 2026, after the state government allowed a 14-day ultimatum to lapse without initiating dialogue. The unions’ principal demand is the full domestication and implementation of the December 2025 ASUU-FGN agreement, including the Consolidated Academic Tools Allowance (CATA) and critical welfare protections for both active and retired academic staff. The strike has the full backing of the ASUU national leadership, and the union stated it will not be suspended until the state government signs, domesticates, and implements the applicable provisions of the agreement in full.

READ ALSO:

The UNIBEN ASUU branch is continuing its indefinite strike, which began on September 9, 2026, over the alleged underpayment of August 2026 salaries. A congress held on September 11 resolved that the strike would continue because the university administration failed to provide clear details of what was paid, what was outstanding, and when it would be paid. University management insists the Federal Government paid August salaries in full, and that the payment in question was CATA, not salary.

ASUU at Taraba State University resumed an indefinite strike following the state government’s failure to implement an agreement reached on January 17, 2025. On September 14, the branch issued a final 14-day ultimatum to the Taraba State Government, which will expire on September 28, 2026, if outstanding provisions are not addressed. The union had previously suspended a planned strike in August to allow the university’s combined convocation ceremonies to proceed.

The UNIZIK ASUU branch suspended its indefinite strike on September 11, 2026, after the university management paid the complete August 2026 salary. The strike had been declared on September 7 over the non-payment of full August salaries. The branch directed all members to resume academic and administrative duties immediately.

At the national level, ASUU has threatened to reactivate its suspended nationwide strike if the Federal Government and state governments fail to urgently resolve outstanding issues. This decision followed an emergency NEC meeting held at the University of Abuja on September 5, 2026. ASUU President, Prof. Christopher Piwuna, stated that unless immediate and concrete steps are taken, the union “will not accept any blame for calling out its members on a nationwide strike action within the shortest time possible”. The unresolved issues include three-and-a-half months of withheld salaries from the seven-and-a-half months withheld under the previous administration, unremitted third-party deductions (pension contributions, cooperative funds, and ASUU check-off dues) allegedly withheld for several months, breaches of university laws and autonomy, and the worsening conditions of the academic profession.

ASUU commended governors who had commenced implementation of the 2025 agreement, singling out Abia State Governor Alex Otti for praise, noting he publicly announced full adoption and apologised for bureaucratic delays. The union also listed Bauchi, Ekiti, Ogun, Benue, Yobe, Adamawa, Kebbi, Katsina, and Borno as states where implementation had commenced. It noted pledges to begin in Kano, Edo, Plateau, Taraba, Gombe, and Bayelsa in September or October 2026.

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar challenged President Bola Tinubu to account for savings from petrol subsidy removal, arguing that the renewed university crisis exposed a contradiction in the government’s reform claims. Atiku said Nigerians had endured unprecedented cost-of-living increases while public universities remained underfunded and lecturers were again threatening to strike.