The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has issued a 14-day ultimatum to the Federal Government of Nigeria, warning of a potential nationwide strike if long-standing issues affecting the country’s universities are not addressed.
The ultimatum, announced after ASUU’s National Executive Council (NEC) meeting at the University of Abuja on Sunday, September 28, 2025, highlights the government’s alleged neglect of the education sector.
ASUU President, Christopher Piwuna, in a press release, said the Union has consistently engaged the government and the public on the declining fortunes of university education and its implications for national development. Despite rallies and appeals across campuses in August, Piwuna noted that no concrete steps have been taken to resolve the issues.
According to the statement, ASUU’s demands include:
- Re-negotiation of the 2009 ASUU-FGN Agreement
- Sustainable funding of universities
- Revitalization of public universities
- Addressing cases of victimization in LASU, KSU, and FUTO
- Payment of outstanding 25–35% salary arrears
- Resolution of promotion arrears spanning over four years
- Payment of withheld third-party deductions
The Union warned that failure by the Federal Government to act within the 14-day window could trigger a two-week warning strike, followed by a total and indefinite strike.
ASUU expressed disappointment that despite raising these issues repeatedly over the last 16 years, little progress has been made. The Union, however, insisted that Nigeria has the financial capacity to address the problems and called on parents, students, traditional rulers, and other stakeholders to pressure the government into taking action.
“The 14 days ultimatum is an alarm to the Nigerian Government. ASUU believes the government has the muscle to avert this looming strike. As they say in English: a stitch in time saves nine,” the statement read.
If the strike proceeds, it could further disrupt academic calendars across Nigeria’s federal and state universities, worsening an already fragile higher education system.
