ASUU Set to Begin Two-Week Nationwide Strike October 13 as Government Fails to Meet Demands
ASUU Declares Two-Week Warning Strike Over Government Inaction
Nigeria’s public universities may soon go silent again as the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has announced plans to embark on a two-week nationwide warning strike starting Monday, October 13, 2025.
The decision, contained in a memo titled “Strike Bulletin One”, followed what the union described as the government’s continued neglect of long-standing agreements and unfulfilled promises.
ASUU National President, Prof. Chris Piwuna, explained that after issuing a 14-day ultimatum in September, the government still made “no meaningful move” toward implementing the renegotiated 2009 ASUU-FGN Agreement, a document repeatedly cited in past disputes.
“We gave a 14-day ultimatum for the government to resolve the issues in the negotiated document transmitted since February 2025. We’ve seen no real progress,” Prof. Piwuna wrote.
With this, ASUU says the planned two-week strike is meant to send a clear message — enough talk, it’s time for action.
What ASUU Is Demanding
The issues at the heart of ASUU’s fresh strike threat are familiar to many Nigerians. They include:
- Full implementation and signing of the 2009 ASUU-FGN Agreement
- Sustainable funding for the revitalisation of public universities
- Payment of salary arrears between 25% and 35%
- Resolution of promotion delays spanning over four years
- Settlement of third-party deductions still pending in the system
For years, ASUU has accused successive governments of making promises without tangible action. This time, the union says it’s done with “empty chairs and empty replies.”
A Call for Unity Among Lecturers
Prof. Piwuna, in his memo, commended union members for their patience throughout what he described as an “eight-year tortuous negotiation process.”
He urged members to stay united and mobilised, emphasising that the strike is not just about salaries but about saving Nigeria’s university system and halting the ongoing “brain drain” of lecturers leaving for better opportunities abroad.
“We are strong when we organise, but weakened when we agonise,” he said, rallying members to take instructions only from their branch chairpersons and rely solely on official updates.
Government Yet to Respond
In response to the growing tension, the Federal Ministry of Education has remained largely silent. Ministry spokesperson Folasade Boriowo told reporters that updates would be shared “when available,” leaving stakeholders uncertain about whether any concrete negotiations are ongoing.
Observers say the unfolding scenario fits a familiar pattern — ASUU issues a deadline, the government delays, the strike begins, and students are forced to stay home.
As one weary student put it, “Na who wan study again?”
NAAT Joins the Fray
Adding to the tension, the National Association of Academic Technologists (NAAT) has also issued its own 14-day ultimatum to the government.
In a communiqué following its National Executive Council (NEC) meeting at the Federal University, Lafia, the association accused the Ministry of Education, led by Dr. Tunji Alausa, of failing to implement agreements reached in July 2025 and revisited in September.
NAAT’s grievances include:
- Incomplete renegotiation of the FGN/NAAT 2009 Agreement
- Delays in mainstreaming earned allowances
- Non-release of the circular for CONTISS 14 and 15, stalling career progression
- Persistent salary payment delays
- Exclusion from a government report that affected their members’ welfare
The association warned that if nothing changes within 14 days, it will also embark on industrial action.
The Bigger Picture
This latest round of labour unrest highlights a recurring cycle in Nigeria’s higher education sector: promises, delays, warnings, strikes, repeat.
For students, it means lost time. For lecturers, it’s deepening frustration. And for the education system, it’s another blow to credibility and productivity.
Despite the fatigue, both ASUU and NAAT insist they are fighting for a better, functional university system. Ironically, while both the government and the unions claim to want the same thing — progress — they continue to walk in opposite directions.
The big question now is: Will the government act before October 13, or will Nigeria’s universities go dark once again?
If history is anything to go by, Nigerians might want to brace themselves — because when ASUU threatens to strike, it rarely bluffs.
You may also like to read: ASUU Issues 14-Day Ultimatum to Federal Government: Strike Looms Again
