ASUU Plans Two-Week Warning Strike from October 13 to Press Government on University Demands

After months of deadlock, the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) is preparing to launch a two-week nationwide warning strike starting Monday, October 13, 2025, unless the Federal Government addresses its outstanding demands.

In a memo titled “Strike Bulletin One”, distributed to ASUU branches and seen by newsmen, ASUU National President Prof. Chris Piwuna confirmed that the union’s patience has run out. He noted that despite issuing a 14-day ultimatum tied to a referendum of its branches, the government has yet to respond meaningfully.

“The National Executive Council of our union at its emergency meeting of September 28, 2025, evaluated results from branches and resolved to give government a 14-day ultimatum to resolve issues in the negotiated document forwarded since February 2025” Piwuna wrote. He warned that failure to act would trigger the strike to compel the signing and implementation of the renegotiated 2009 ASUU-FGN Agreement, among other demands.

He expressed regret that after eight long years of negotiations, no “meaningful development” deserves report. He called on all members to remain unified and resolute, reminding them that the union’s strength lies in organisation, not division.

Members were instructed to follow directives only from their branch chairpersons and zonal coordinators, with congress meetings serving as points of update.

When contacted, the Ministry of Education spokesperson, Folasade Boriowo, said the government would respond when a decision was reached.

ASUU’s threat emerges after the union’s National Executive Council meeting at the University of Abuja on September 28. The union had laid out long-standing unresolved issues: lack of implementation of the 2009 Agreement, inadequate funding for revitalisation, outstanding salary arrears, promotion delays, and injustice toward lecturers in federal institutions.

ASUU’s communiqué asserted that the government still retains the capacity to avert the looming strike if it acts decisively.

Meanwhile, the National Association of Academic Technologists (NAAT) has issued its own 14-day ultimatum to the Federal Government over failure to honour key resolutions. In a statement signed by NAAT President Ibeji Nwokoma, the union expressed dismay over neglect of the renegotiation process, delayed salaries, withheld allowances, and stalled circulars for career progression.

NAAT warned that inaction would lead to industrial action. The union had earlier demanded full inclusion of allowances into salaries, release of N50 billion for owed benefits, a review of the 2009 Agreement, and settlement of months of arrears in occupational hazard and responsibility allowances.