Barring any last-minute intervention, the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has announced plans to commence a two-week nationwide warning strike starting Monday, October 13, 2025, to press home its long-standing demands from the Federal Government.
The decision was contained in a memo titled “Strike Bulletin One,” issued to all ASUU branches on Monday in Abuja. The move follows the expiration of a 14-day ultimatum earlier given to the government to address unresolved issues, including the signing and implementation of the renegotiated 2009 ASUU-FGN Agreement.
ASUU National President, Prof. Chris Piwuna, confirmed that the government’s continued silence and failure to meet the union’s demands despite repeated engagements led to the decision.
“The National Executive Council, at its emergency meeting on September 28, 2025, after evaluating referendum outcomes from branches, resolved to give the government a 14-day ultimatum to address issues contained in the renegotiated document transmitted since February 2025,” Piwuna stated.
He noted that with the ultimatum nearing its end and no satisfactory response received, the union had no choice but to proceed with the warning strike. “Our action aims to compel the government to sign and implement the renegotiated agreement, among other pending issues,” he added.
Piwuna thanked members for their patience during what he described as a “tortuous negotiation” spanning over eight years, urging them to remain united and mobilised in pursuit of the union’s objectives.
According to him, ASUU’s demands include:
- The renegotiation and implementation of the 2009 ASUU-FGN Agreement
- Sustainable funding for university revitalisation
- Payment of outstanding salary arrears
- Resolution of promotion backlogs
- Settlement of third-party deduction issues
ASUU maintained that the government has the capacity to avert the looming strike if it acts promptly and decisively.
In a related development, the National Association of Academic Technologists (NAAT) has also issued a 14-day ultimatum to the Federal Government, citing the non-implementation of previously agreed resolutions.
NAAT National President, Ibeji Nwokoma, disclosed after the union’s NEC meeting at the Federal University, Lafia, that key grievances include the incomplete renegotiation of the 2009 FGN/NAAT Agreement, non-mainstreaming of earned allowances, delays in salary payments, and failure to release circulars enabling career progression to CONTISS 14 and 15.
“While NAAT remains open to dialogue, failure to meet our demands within the stipulated period will leave the union with no choice but to declare an industrial action,” the communiqué stated.
Both ASUU and NAAT have consistently accused the Federal Government of neglecting the university system, warning that continued inaction could trigger another cycle of strikes capable of paralysing academic activities nationwide.
