By Obinna Uballa
The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has warned of a possible nationwide strike over the federal government’s alleged failure to honour agreements and address persistent challenges in the country’s university system.
Speaking at a press conference on Thursday at the University of Jos, ASUU President, Prof. Christopher Piwuna, said the union has exercised patience for over two years without any meaningful progress.
“Trust has been destroyed by government. It is, therefore, up to them to regain it to avert any strike,” Piwuna declared.
The ASUU president accused the government of deliberately delaying the renegotiation of the 2009 ASUU-FGN Agreement, failing to settle outstanding salary arrears, and neglecting measures to revitalise public universities.
According to Piwuna, despite the submission of the Alhaji Yayale Ahmed Report in February 2025, the government has not acted on its recommendations. He warned that this undermines collective bargaining principles under International Labour Organisation (ILO) conventions, to which Nigeria is a signatory.
ASUU said it acknowledges a scheduled meeting with the government for August 28 but stressed that time was running out to conclude the draft agreement, which covers issues such as conditions of service, university autonomy, academic freedom, funding, and the review of laws governing JAMB and NUC.
The union also rejected the proposed Tertiary Institutions Staff Support Fund (TISSF), which seeks to provide loans to lecturers. Describing the scheme as a “poison chalice,” ASUU maintained that its members need improved wages through the renegotiated agreement, not more debts.
“Our members are already deep in debt. This loan will cripple cooperative societies and enslave our members. After deductions, nothing will remain for their families. How can the government ask us to take loans to pay for health and our children’s education?” Piwuna asked.
ASUU further criticised what it called the unchecked establishment of universities, accusing successive administrations of turning them into tools for political patronage rather than genuine centres of learning. Nigeria currently has 339 universities, 72 federal, 108 state, and 159 private, many of which lack basic facilities and adequate staffing.
The union called on the federal government to extend its moratorium on new public universities to private ones, warning that unchecked proliferation would further erode quality and global competitiveness.
It also condemned the plight of retired lecturers under the Contributory Pension Scheme (CPS), noting that many who served for decades now earn as little as N150,000 monthly in an economy plagued by inflation.
“This situation is cruel and unacceptable. Our retired colleagues are battling chronic illnesses and caring for dependents with meagre pensions. Government must reverse this ugly trend,” the union declared.
