The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) will on Monday (today) commence a two-week total and comprehensive warning strike following the expiration of the 14-day ultimatum issued to the Federal Government.

The decision was announced by ASUU’s National President, Prof. Chris Piwuna, during a press briefing at the University of Abuja on Sunday.

Piwuna said the strike followed the Federal Government’s failure to satisfactorily address the union’s longstanding demands despite several negotiations and deadlines.

“Compatriots of the press, it goes without saying that there is nothing sufficient on the ground to stop the implementation of ASUU-NEC’s resolution to embark on a two-week warning strike at the expiry of the 14-day notice given on September 28, 2025,” Piwuna declared.

“Consequently, all branches of ASUU are hereby directed to withdraw their services with effect from midnight on Monday, October 13, 2025. The warning strike shall be total and comprehensive as agreed at the last NEC meeting,” he added.

Sources within the Ministry of Education confirmed that the Federal Government had extended an invitation to ASUU leadership on Friday in a last-minute effort to avert the strike. During the meeting, the government presented a new proposal, which ASUU rejected for failing to meet the union’s key demands.

A ministry official disclosed that Education Minister Dr. Tunji Alausa had made several attempts to reach out to ASUU leadership, but his calls reportedly went unanswered.

“The minister made efforts to reach out to the leadership of the union, but they refused to pick up calls. A proposal was made, but they went ahead with the strike,” the source said.

ASUU, however, maintained that the government’s offer was inconsistent with previous agreements.

“The presentation to ASUU was a total departure from the letter and spirit of the review of the draft agreement submitted by the Yayale Ahmed Committee to the ministry,” Piwuna stated.

“ASUU will soon submit its own position, pointing out areas of distortion, inconsistency, and disregard for extant laws. The hurriedly packaged documents were provocative and incapable of dousing industrial tensions which have reached an irreversible pitch across our campuses,” he added.

He recalled that the government had previously requested a three-week grace period to resolve the outstanding issues before ASUU’s NEC meeting at Usmanu Danfodio University, Sokoto, in August, a promise he said was not fulfilled.

ASUU’s Demands

ASUU’s grievances include:

Finalisation and implementation of the renegotiated 2009 FGN-ASUU agreement.

Release of withheld 3.5 months’ salaries.

Sustainable funding and revitalisation of public universities.

Cessation of victimisation of lecturers at Lagos State University, Prince Abubakar Audu University (Kogi), and the Federal University of Technology, Owerri.

Payment of outstanding 25–35% salary arrears, promotion arrears, and withheld third-party deductions such as cooperative and union dues.

In a joint statement on Sunday night, the Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, and the Minister of State for Education, Prof. Suwaiba Ahmad, urged ASUU to reconsider its decision, warning that the “no work, no pay” policy would be enforced if academic activities were disrupted.

The statement, signed by Ministry spokesperson Folasade Boriowo, emphasised that the government’s latest offer addressed key issues, including working conditions, institutional governance, and staff welfare.

“The government has continued to prioritise the welfare of university staff and the stability of the academic calendar under the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Tinubu,” the statement read.

“Dialogue remains the most effective and sustainable path to resolving disagreements, and government remains open to engagement at any level to prevent unnecessary disruption in the education sector. However, the ‘no work, no pay’ policy remains an extant labour law,” it added.

The Federal Government assured parents and students of its commitment to maintaining industrial harmony and urged all academic unions to embrace dialogue.

Reacting to the development, the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) appealed to both parties to resume negotiations and prevent another disruption to the academic calendar.

The Assistant General Secretary of NANS, Adejuwon Emmanuel, said the students’ body had been monitoring the situation closely and expressed concern over its impact on students.

“We are aware that ASUU’s grievances include unresolved issues relating to welfare, funding, and government obligations. Our President, Olushola Oladoja, has already begun consultations to mediate between ASUU and the government,” Adejuwon said.

“Nigerian students have endured too many disruptions. Another strike will only worsen their hardship. We urge the Federal Government to show sincerity and urgency in resolving the issues at stake,” he added.

In a related development, the Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP) has given the Federal Government a six-week deadline to address its own set of demands.

ASUP said it decided to suspend its planned strike following signs of progress in talks with the Ministry of Education, including the release of circulars on the Peculiar Academic Allowance, progress on the 2025 NEEDS Assessment intervention, and renewed meetings of the Polytechnics Implementation Monitoring Committee.

The union also commended the government for reconstituting the Renegotiation Committee to include the polytechnic sector and addressing issues involving Federal Polytechnics Nekede and Ekowe.

ASUU has a long history of industrial actions rooted in concerns over funding, welfare, and government commitment to agreements. Frequent strikes have disrupted the academic calendar and affected the morale of lecturers and students alike, raising public concern over the stability and quality of Nigeria’s higher education system.