THE Federal Government has appealed to the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) to suspend its proposed nationwide strike, assuring that it is working diligently to address the union’s outstanding demands and grievances.
News Point Nigeria reports that the Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, made the appeal during a press conference held in Abuja on Wednesday, where he confirmed that discussions between the government and the university lecturers’ union were ongoing and progressing steadily.
Alausa disclosed that the Mahmud Yayale Ahmed-led Federal Government Tertiary Institutions Expanded Negotiation Committee had been reconstituted and inaugurated to accelerate dialogue with all academic and non-academic unions in universities, polytechnics, and colleges of education.
He added that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu had issued a clear directive to relevant ministries and agencies to take every necessary step to prevent another disruption in the country’s tertiary education calendar.
“The Federal Government is not unmindful of the issues raised by ASUU. We have revived the negotiation committee and are already making progress. The President has made it clear that we cannot afford another strike in our universities,” the Minister stated.
The Minister called on ASUU to show patience and understanding while the government works toward fulfilling its obligations, noting that some of the union’s demands involve inter-ministerial processes that require due diligence.
“Dialogue is ongoing and results are being achieved. We appeal to ASUU to suspend its planned action and allow the negotiation process to be completed,” Alausa added.
He further assured that the government remains committed to resolving long-standing issues such as salary arrears, revitalization funds, university autonomy, and improved welfare packages for lecturers.
Despite the appeal, ASUU has already commenced full mobilisation of its members nationwide in preparation for a possible warning strike, as the union’s 14-day ultimatum to the Federal Government is set to expire on Sunday.
The ultimatum followed a National Executive Council (NEC) meeting held at the University of Abuja, where the union expressed deep frustration over the government’s alleged failure to honour past agreements.
In a statement signed by ASUU’s National President, Prof. Chris Piwuna, the union lamented what it described as the “systematic neglect” of the university system and the government’s habitual disregard for education-related commitments.
“Apart from engagement with the press, in August 2025, members of ASUU across federal and state universities held rallies on their campuses to draw attention to the lingering issues in the university system.
Nothing came out of these efforts. It is clear that both the federal and state governments have a strong habit of paying little or no attention to the education sector in general and the welfare of university academics in particular,” ASUU stated.
The union warned that if the government fails to address its demands by the end of the ultimatum, it would have no option but to embark on a two-week warning strike, which could later escalate into a total and indefinite shutdown of academic activities across the nation’s public universities.
“If at the expiration of the 14-day ultimatum nothing tangible is done, ASUU will proceed with a two-week warning strike as a first step,” the statement read.
The Minister reiterated that dialogue remains the best approach to resolving labour disputes, urging the union to put students’ interests first and allow ongoing discussions to yield results.