Universities in Nigeria may experience disruptions in their academic activities following the current threat by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) of a possible nationwide strike.
accusing the Federal Government of failing to honour longstanding agreements on the revitalisation and proper funding of Nigeria’s public universities.
Addressing a news conference at the University of Jos this Thursday ( 21/8/25), ASUU President, Christopher Piwuna, blamed the threat on the refusal of the Federal Government to honour longstanding agreements on the revitalisation and proper funding of Nigeria’s public universities.
While declaring that the Lecturers have endured over two years of broken promises and delay tactics by the government, Piwuna listed unresolved issues to include the renegotiation of the 2009 ASUU-FGN agreement, outstanding salary arrears, withheld promotions, and the welfare of retired lecturers.
According to him, “The general public should also note that ASUU has written several letters to the FGN drawing its attention to the need to resolve this crisis amicably. Lamentably, the FGN has always turned a deaf ear to all our pleas.
“As always, it is the FGN that has consistently pushed our union to embark on a strike action, and it is clear that ASUU may have no other option than to embark on an action to press the FGN to listen to our demands and do the needful.
The Union President however said it will await the outcome of a government meeting scheduled for August 28 before deciding its next line of action, adding that that members will stage rallies across campuses next week to demonstrate their frustrations.
Piwuna warned: “Time is running out. We cannot continue to wait endlessly while the future of Nigerian universities is destroyed.”
The ASUU President further used the forum to announce the body’s rejection of the government’s proposed tertiary institutions staff support fund loan scheme, describing it as a trap.
He further criticised the proliferation of universities without sustainable funding and made it clear that such actions have lowered standards and global rankings.
Addressing the issue of pension, he lamented that professors who served for over 40 years now receive as little as ₦150,000 monthly, despite rising inflation and living costs.
