The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has threatened to embark on nationwide strike over the federal government’s alleged failure to honour the 2009 ASUU-FGN Agreement and address lingering issues in the university system.
Prof. Christopher Piwuna, ASUU President, issued the warning on Thursday during a press conference at the University of Jos, accusing the government of destroying trust and reneging on commitments despite over two years of patience from the union.
“Trust has been destroyed by government. It is, therefore, up to them to regain it to avert any strike,” Piwuna said.
The union faulted the government for delaying the renegotiation of the 2009 agreement, failing to settle outstanding salary arrears, and neglecting measures to revitalise public universities. Piwuna noted that despite receiving the Alhaji Yayale Ahmed Report in February 2025, the government has yet to act on its recommendations, in violation of collective bargaining principles under International Labour Organisation (ILO) conventions.
ASUU confirmed a scheduled meeting with government on August 28 but warned that time was running out to conclude the draft agreement covering conditions of service, university autonomy, academic freedom, funding, and a review of laws governing JAMB and NUC.
Rejecting the proposed Tertiary Institutions Staff Support Fund (TISSF), which seeks to provide loans to lecturers, ASUU described the scheme as a “poison chalice,” insisting that lecturers need improved wages through a renegotiated agreement, not debts.
“Our members are already deep in debt. This loan will cripple cooperative societies and enslave our members. After deductions, nothing will remain for their families. How can the government ask us to take loans to pay for health and our children’s education?” Piwuna queried.
The union also decried the proliferation of universities, warning that the unchecked establishment of new institutions for political patronage is undermining quality. Nigeria currently has 339 universities—72 federal, 108 state and 159 private—many of which lack basic infrastructure and qualified staff. ASUU urged the federal government to extend its moratorium on new public universities to private institutions.
Additionally, ASUU condemned the hardship faced by retired lecturers under the Contributory Pension Scheme (CPS), noting that many now earn as little as N150,000 monthly despite decades of service in a struggling economy.
“This situation is cruel and unacceptable. Our retired colleagues are battling chronic illnesses and caring for dependents with meagre pensions. Government must reverse this ugly trend,” the union declared.
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