The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has issued a stark warning to both Federal and State Governments, saying another major industrial crisis is looming in Nigeria’s public universities unless urgent action is taken.
In a press release signed by its president, Dr. Christopher Piwuna, the union cited years of unfulfilled promises, poor lecturer welfare, and chronic underfunding of higher institutions as flashpoints for possible disruption.
ASUU’s frustration intensified after Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, recently declared that strikes in tertiary institutions were a thing of the past. While ASUU welcomed the sentiment, it challenged the government to back its words with tangible action.
“The government needs to go beyond words and act on our outstanding issues,” ASUU stated.
The union painted a grim picture of academic life in Nigeria: lecturers teaching “on empty stomachs,” struggling to conduct research without access to journals, chemicals, or even stable power. With unpaid bills, transportation woes, and children’s school fees looming, the union said its members feel "forgotten, shamed, and demoralised."
Central to ASUU’s demands is the long-overdue renegotiation of the 2009 FGN-ASUU Agreement. The union accuses the government of cherry-picking parts of the agreement to implement, while discarding core principles of collective bargaining.
“Government agents have reduced the process to platitudes and tokenism,” Piwuna said.
ASUU also criticised the "hypocrisy" of treating local academics as volunteers while wooing those abroad under diaspora initiatives. The union further expressed concern over political interference in university governance, citing the controversial appointment of the Acting Vice Chancellor at Alvan Ikoku University of Education.
Calling on all patriotic Nigerians, ASUU urged leaders to intervene and prevent a fresh strike.
“Academics are tired of government excuses and a mountain of unfulfilled MoUs and MoAs. No more talk—we need action now.”
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