By Suad Ayinla
Edited by Bababunmi Agbebi
The possibility of another disruption to academic activities is looming as the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) continues to demand the full implementation of the 2025 agreement reached with the Federal Government.
The agreement, reached in December 2025 after years of negotiations, was expected to address some of the long-standing issues affecting university lecturers and the Nigerian university system. Among its provisions is a 40 per cent upward review of academic staff emoluments, as well as the payment of outstanding allowances and other entitlements.
However, months after the agreement was reached, ASUU has continued to raise concerns over what it describes as incomplete or delayed implementation. The union had earlier warned that failure to fully implement the agreement could lead to another round of industrial action. In June, the Federal Government inaugurated an Implementation Monitoring Committee to oversee compliance with the agreement and address emerging issues.
The disagreement has already affected individual universities, with several ASUU branches issuing ultimatums or embarking on industrial action over the implementation of the 2025 agreement and other outstanding demands. The Nasarawa State University chapter, for instance, declared an indefinite strike in August, while the Sule Lamido University chapter in Jigawa State has threatened industrial action from September 15 if its demands are not addressed.
For students, another nationwide strike would come with familiar consequences. Academic calendars could be disrupted, examinations and graduation dates could be pushed back, while students and parents would once again have to deal with the uncertainty that comes with prolonged university closures. After years of repeated disruptions, many students are understandably concerned about spending more time in school because of disputes they have little control over.
The latest developments therefore put pressure on both ASUU and the government to ensure that the 2025 agreement does not become another cycle of promises, negotiations and strikes. While the union insists that agreements must be honoured, the government has maintained that it is committed to implementing the deal. With tensions rising across some university campuses, the question now is whether both sides can resolve the outstanding issues before another nationwide strike becomes inevitable.
