Government and ASUU Head for Crucial Talks as Strike Threat Looms

The Federal Government has set two critical negotiation sessions for Monday, November 24, 2025, and Tuesday, November 25, 2025, as it moves to stop the Academic Staff Union of Universities from declaring a nationwide strike. The meetings will be led by the Yayale Ahmed Renegotiation Committee, which has been tasked with breaking the deadlock between both parties.

ASUU’s National Executive Council is also preparing to hold its own internal meeting afterward, where members will decide whether the union proceeds with industrial action or suspends it again. A senior NEC member, who spoke with newsmen in Abuja, hinted that the union’s decision will depend entirely on what happens during the government sessions.

The NEC official, who asked not to be named, accused the Federal Government of deliberately stretching out negotiations. He described the scheduled meetings as an attempt to stall ASUU’s next move, insisting that union members are growing frustrated with what they consider slow responses from the authorities.

He explained that ASUU will convene immediately after the government’s meetings to determine the union’s next steps. According to him, “They have fixed meetings for Monday and Tuesday. It looks like a tactic to drag things out. Once they finish, our NEC will sit and take a firm decision.”

The union’s latest ultimatum expired on Saturday after ASUU suspended its two-week warning strike on October 22, giving the government one month to address its outstanding demands. That window has now closed without clear resolution, raising fears that another shutdown of public universities may be imminent.

ASUU has repeatedly stressed that it will resume full strike action at any time if there is no tangible progress from the Federal Government. Its unmet demands include the long-standing review of the 2009 ASUU–Federal Government agreement, payment of outstanding salaries and earned academic allowances, and release of the university revitalisation fund.

The Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, maintains that the government has already met most of the union’s requests. He told reporters at the State House that President Bola Tinubu has given firm instructions that no public university should be allowed to shut down again.

Alausa said negotiations remain ongoing and that the administration is committed to keeping students on campus. He argued that ASUU’s recent six-day warning strike was unnecessary and insisted that continued dialogue is the appropriate path forward. The minister added that he had briefed the President and sought further concessions to fast-track the resolution process.