ASUU rejects FG’s proposal, begins two-week strike today

ASUU Rejects FG’s Proposal, Commences Two-Week Warning Strike

In a decisive move that reignites longstanding tensions between Nigeria’s academic community and the federal government, the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has officially commenced a two-week warning strike beginning Monday, October 13, 2025.

This action follows the union’s rejection of a proposal presented by the Federal Government aimed at resolving persistent disputes over university funding, staff welfare, and the implementation of the 2009 ASUU-FGN Agreement.

The announcement was made by ASUU National President, Professor Chris Piwuna, during a press briefing held at the University of Abuja on Sunday. Professor Piwuna emphasized that the strike was necessitated by the government’s failure to meet critical demands despite repeated ultimatums and negotiation efforts. He described the government’s proposal as inadequate and lacking in commitment to the revitalization of Nigeria’s public university system.

The Federal Government, through the Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, had earlier claimed that negotiations were in their final stages. Dr. Alausa highlighted the release of ₦50 billion for Earned Academic Allowances and the inclusion of ₦150 billion in the 2025 budget for university revitalization as signs of progress.

However, ASUU dismissed these measures as insufficient and symbolic, arguing that they fail to address the structural and systemic issues plaguing higher education in the country.

The strike has sparked immediate reactions across the academic landscape. Dr. John Ogi, a senior lecturer at Moses Adasu University in Benue State, criticized the government’s threat to enforce a “no work, no pay” policy against striking lecturers. He described the stance as insensitive and dismissive of the legitimate grievances of university staff.

According to Dr. Ogi, such threats undermine the dignity of educators and reflect a troubling disregard for the role of intellectual labor in national development.

This latest industrial action marks yet another chapter in ASUU’s protracted struggle for improved conditions in Nigeria’s tertiary institutions. The union insists that the strike is a warning, not a full shutdown, and hopes it will compel the government to return to the negotiation table with more concrete and actionable commitments.

Meanwhile, students across the country face renewed uncertainty, as academic calendars are once again disrupted by unresolved policy disputes.