The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has issued a stern warning to the Federal Government: honour the long-standing 2009 FG/ASUU agreement or face a nationwide industrial action.
Speaking at a press conference in Abuja on Friday, ASUU President, Dr Chris Piwuna, outlined a litany of unresolved issues that continue to undermine Nigeria’s public university system. He accused the government of wilful neglect and repeated failure to implement previously agreed reforms.
“We are fast approaching another avoidable crisis in our universities. The Federal Government must act now or prepare for the consequences,” Piwuna declared.
At the heart of the dispute lies a renegotiation process that has stalled since 2017. Dr Piwuna detailed nine key areas of concern, including the non-payment of salaries withheld during the 2022 strike and the lingering controversy surrounding the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS), which has long been rejected by the union.
He criticised the government’s failure to release revitalisation funds and earned academic allowances, despite multiple promises to inject ₦150 billion into public universities and address wage irregularities by 2026 — promises, he said, that remain unfulfilled.
“The issues are not new. They have simply been ignored. The government’s repeated failure to honour its commitments has left university staff demoralised and betrayed,” he said.
ASUU also highlighted what it called systemic victimisation of its members at several state universities, including Kogi State University and Lagos State University. According to Piwuna, lecturers face denial of salaries, job insecurity, and political interference in the appointment of university leadership.
He pointed to the controversial appointment processes at Nnamdi Azikiwe University and the University of Abuja as examples of government overreach that have eroded institutional autonomy.
“Our universities are becoming battlegrounds for political and economic interests. This is not only unacceptable — it is dangerous.”
Piwuna called for a national rebirth through education, stressing that without meaningful reform and investment in higher learning, Nigeria’s development will remain elusive.
“Education empowers citizens, drives innovation, and instils values. Without it, no society can prosper.”
To address the deepening crisis, ASUU proposed the convening of a national education summit to focus on three key areas: sustainable funding, institutional autonomy, and improved academic welfare.
Despite the growing tension, Piwuna maintained that ASUU remains open to dialogue, but warned that the union would not tolerate further neglect of its rights or responsibilities.
“Our universities should be centres for solutions to national challenges. We are ready to engage, but we will resist any attempt to erode our dignity or our rights.”
He urged well-meaning Nigerians and the international community to support ASUU’s struggle for the revitalisation of the country’s tertiary education sector.
