₦airaland Forum

Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has threatened to embark on strike over the Federal Government’s failure to implement agreements and resolve ongoing issues in Nigeria’s university system.

Speaking at a press conference yesterday at the University of Jos, the ASUU President, Prof. Christopher Piwuna, said the union had been “pushed to the wall” after over two years of patience without results. 
Piwuna rejected the government’s loan scheme for university workers, describing it as a ‘poison chalice’. 

He accused the present administration of deliberate delay tactics in renegotiating the 2009 ASUU-FGN Agreement, addressing outstanding salary arrears, and implementing measures to revitalise universities.

“Trust has been destroyed by the government. It is, therefore, up to them to regain it to avert any strike,” Piwuna said.

On the 2009 Agreement and Collective Bargaining, the Union lamented that despite the submission of the Alhaji Yayale Ahmed Report in February 2025, the government has failed to act on its recommendations.
ASUU expressed concern that it undermined the principle of collective bargaining, to which Nigeria is committed as a signatory to the International Labour Organisation (ILO) Convention.

While acknowledging a planned government meeting on August 28, ASUU warned that time was running out. The draft agreement, it noted, covers crucial issues such as conditions of service, university autonomy, academic freedom, funding, and the review of laws governing JAMB and NUC.

It strongly rejected the government’s proposed Tertiary Institutions Staff Support Fund (TISSF), which seeks to provide loans to lecturers. 

The union insisted that what its members needed was improved wages through the renegotiated agreement, not more debts.

The union also criticised the unchecked establishment of universities, accusing successive governments of turning them into tools for political patronage rather than genuine centers of learning.

According to the union, Nigeria has 339 universities, 72 federal, 108 state, and 159 private, yet many lack basic facilities and staff

He said the National Executive Council (NEC), after its recent meeting at Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto, resolved to wait for the outcome of the government’s August 28 meeting before taking further action.
However, the Union announced plans to hold rallies across university campuses next week as a warning signal to the government.

kingi777:
Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has threatened to embark on strike over the Federal Government’s failure to implement agreements and resolve ongoing issues in Nigeria’s university system.
Speaking at a press conference yesterday at the University of Jos, the ASUU President, Prof. Christopher Piwuna, said the union had been “pushed to the wall” after over two years of patience without results. 
Piwuna rejected the government’s loan scheme for university workers, describing it as a ‘poison chalice’. 
He accused the present administration of deliberate delay tactics in renegotiating the 2009 ASUU-FGN Agreement, addressing outstanding salary arrears, and implementing measures to revitalise universities.
“Trust has been destroyed by the government. It is, therefore, up to them to regain it to avert any strike,” Piwuna said.
On the 2009 Agreement and Collective Bargaining, the Union lamented that despite the submission of the Alhaji Yayale Ahmed Report in February 2025, the government has failed to act on its recommendations.
ASUU expressed concern that it undermined the principle of collective bargaining, to which Nigeria is committed as a signatory to the International Labour Organisation (ILO) Convention.
While acknowledging a planned government meeting on August 28, ASUU warned that time was running out. The draft agreement, it noted, covers crucial issues such as conditions of service, university autonomy, academic freedom, funding, and the review of laws governing JAMB and NUC.
It strongly rejected the government’s proposed Tertiary Institutions Staff Support Fund (TISSF), which seeks to provide loans to lecturers. 
The union insisted that what its members needed was improved wages through the renegotiated agreement, not more debts.
The union also criticised the unchecked establishment of universities, accusing successive governments of turning them into tools for political patronage rather than genuine centers of learning.
According to the union, Nigeria has 339 universities, 72 federal, 108 state, and 159 private, yet many lack basic facilities and staff
He said the National Executive Council (NEC), after its recent meeting at Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto, resolved to wait for the outcome of the government’s August 28 meeting before taking further action.
However, the Union announced plans to hold rallies across university campuses next week as a warning signal to the government.
https://guardian.ng/news/ASUU-threatens-fresh-strike-says-fgs-loan-scheme-poison-chalice

meobizy:
Na their way. Every time preek scratch them, they demand remuneration from the government. It’s the students I pity the most. Those ones sef don’t pity themselves until final year.

kingi777:
President Tinubu has tried in at least listening to ASUU by being magnanimous of paying them earn allowance and some months out of the 8months owed them. He should please clear the debt of 3 and half month left please. He should increase their salaries too. The value of education and the lecturers especially the professors that drag bike and Keke with students is dwindling. A Nigerian professor can hardly buy Toyota Corolla 2005 with his annual salary. This is pathetic.

kingi777:
https://guardian.ng/news/ASUU-threatens-fresh-strike-says-fgs-loan-scheme-poison-chalice

kingi777:
https://guardian.ng/news/ASUU-threatens-fresh-strike-says-fgs-loan-scheme-poison-chalice

AngelSlay:
It’s good that President Tinubu has shown some willingness to address ASUU’s grievances, but we also need to look at the broader picture. Clearing arrears and increasing salaries sounds fair, yet the bigger question is sustainability.

Nigeria is already struggling with a stretched budget, heavy borrowing, and competing demands from healthcare, infrastructure, security, and social welfare. If we keep increasing salaries without restructuring the system, we’ll only be postponing the problem.

The real tragedy is not just that a professor can’t afford a Toyota Corolla — it’s that universities are still producing graduates who lack the skills to compete globally. That’s not purely about salary; it’s about accountability, modernization of curriculum, research funding, and efficiency in how universities are run.

If government simply clears debts and raises salaries without demanding reforms from ASUU and the universities themselves, the cycle of strikes, arrears, and poor-quality education will continue. Nigeria needs to fix the foundation — not just patch the cracks.

Factcheck0001:
These people are just looking for every possible ways to strike

Omo Nigerians can abuse things ooo, previous government paid less attention to them n tinubu have released over 50 BN to them n not only that also released bail out for repair n renovations of university structures n now loan but they still want to strike

Haba now

Imagine talking about the problem of 2009 aggressively to a government of 2025 and some clowns here will want to blame everything on Tinubu.

Now I understand the meaning of uneasy lies the head that wears the crown


Even if some people can't get erection when with their wife they blame tinubu

kingi777:
https://guardian.ng/news/ASUU-threatens-fresh-strike-says-fgs-loan-scheme-poison-chalice

anonimi:
Nigeria: Pensioners Urge Tinubu to Pay Arrears

26 March 2003
This Day (Lagos)


Lagos — Pension teachers in Lagos State under the aegis of Teacher Pensioners of Nigeria (TEPAN) have urged Governor Bola Ahmed Tinubu, to review his stance on paying the harmonised three year old outstanding pension allowance or risk losing their votes.

In a statement signed by the Public Relations Officer (PRO) of TEPAN, Mr. Ayodabo 'Lade, accused Tinubu of failing to pay the arrears to teachers on their correct pension grade since the year 2000, contrary to what was obtainable in other five States of the South-west controlled by the Alliance for Democracy (AD).

https://allafrica.com/stories/200303260385.html