The Academic Staff Union of Universities will on Monday (today) commence a two-week warning strike after the ultimatum issued to the Federal Government elapsed on Sunday.
The announcement was made by the National President of the union, Prof. Chris Piwuna, at a press briefing at the University of Abuja on Sunday.
The renewed standoff between ASUU and the government comes amid ongoing negotiations aimed at averting another round of industrial unrest in public universities.
Last Wednesday, the Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, disclosed in Abuja that the government had entered the final phase of talks with ASUU and other unions to resolve lingering disputes over welfare, funding, and the implementation of the 2009 ASUU-FGN Agreement.
Alausa noted that the Tinubu administration had already made significant progress with the release of N50bn for the payment of Earned Academic Allowances, while another N150bn had been captured in the 2025 budget for needs assessment, to be disbursed in three tranches.
But declaring the strike, Piwuna stated, “Compatriots of the press, it goes without saying that there is nothing sufficient on the ground to stop the implementation of the ASUU-NEC’s resolution to embark on a two-week warning strike at the expiry of the 14-day notice given on the 28th September 2025.
“Consequently, all branches of ASUU are hereby directed to withdraw their services with effect from midnight on Monday, the 13th October, 2025. The warning strike shall be total and comprehensive as agreed at the last NEC meeting.’’
Our correspondent learnt that the Federal Government had extended an invitation to the union last Friday in a bid to meet the deadline set by ASUU leadership.
During the meeting, the government presented a proposal to ASUU, which was rejected by its leadership because the new offer did not meet the demands presented by the union.
ASUU is currently demanding the conclusion of the renegotiated 2009 FGN-ASUU agreement, release of the withheld three and a half months’ salaries, sustainable funding of public universities, revitalisation of public universities and cessation of the victimisation of lecturers in Lagos State University, Kogi State University, now Prince Abubakar Audu University and Federal University of Technology, Owerri.
Others are payment of outstanding 25-35% salary arrears, payment of promotion arrears for over four years and release of withheld third-party deductions( cooperative contributions, union check-off dues).
Though the meeting between both parties ended in a deadlock, a highly placed source in the ministry who was privy to the interactions between the ministry and ASUU leadership noted that the education minister made efforts to reach out to the leadership of the union, but his phone calls were rejected.
“The minister made efforts to reach out to the leadership of the union, but they refused to pick up calls. A proposal was made, but they went ahead with the strike.”
ASUU’s president, Piwuna, earlier confirmed that the proposal by the government was rejected. He noted that the union was working towards presenting its own proposal to the government.
