In a decisive move that threatens to paralyse academic activities in public universities, the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has declared a “total and comprehensive” two-week warning strike, commencing midnight of Monday, 13th October 2025.
The union’s National President, Chris Mwuna, announced the industrial action during an emergency press conference at the ASUU National Secretariat in Abuja on Sunday, citing the Federal Government’s “deliberate distortion, inconsistency, and flagrant disregard” in handling their longstanding demands.
The strike follows the expiration of a 14-day ultimatum issued by the union on September 28, 2025. Despite government appeals for more time, ASUU leadership stated that “nothing significant has happened” to address the critical issues, forcing their hand.
“Provocative and Incapable of Dousing Tensions”
At the heart of the dispute is the failed renegotiation of the 2009 FGN-ASUU Agreement, a process that has dragged on for eight years. Hopes were raised when the government requested a three-week grace period ahead of ASUU’s August NEC meeting in Sokoto. However, according to Mwuna, “The pre-UDUS NEC hope was dashed without a blink!”
A recent “emergency meeting” on October 10th, 2025, intended to break the deadlock, instead exacerbated it. The government presented documents that ASUU described as “hurriedly packaged,” “provocative, and incapable of dousing industrial tensions which had reached an irreversible pitch.” The union accused the government of presenting a document that was a “total departure” from the one agreed upon by its own negotiation team, labelling it a “demonstration of bad faith.”
Eight Key Issues Remain Unresolved
The press statement outlined eight core unresolved issues, including:
Conclusion of the renegotiated 2009 FGN-ASUU Agreement.
Release of withheld three-and-a-half months’ salaries.
Sustainable funding and revitalization of public universities.
Cessation of the victimization of lecturers in LASU, KSU, and FUTO.
Payment of outstanding 25-35% salary arrears and promotion arrears.
Release of withheld third-party deductions like union dues.
A Call for Solidarity and a “Transformational Mission”
Stating that history will not forgive “intellectuals who watch helplessly,” President Mwuna framed the struggle as a fight for the fundamental transformation of Nigeria’s university system. He pleaded for the understanding of students and parents and called on “patriotic Nigerians including workers, media practitioners and civil society activists to join ASUU in this transformational mission.”
With the directive for all branches to withdraw services, the countdown to another disruptive academic standstill has begun, leaving the fate of the semester hanging in the balance as the nation awaits the government’s response.
