ASUU Issues 14-Day Ultimatum To FG Over Unmet Demands
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The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has issued a 14-day ultimatum to the Federal Government, warning of a possible nationwide strike if longstanding grievances are not addressed. The union said the ultimatum followed the government’s failure to honour agreements that have dragged on for years, leaving the university system underfunded and lecturers demoralised.
At the end of its National Executive Council meeting in Abuja, ASUU listed demands including payment of Earned Academic Allowances and salary arrears, adoption of the University Transparency and Accountability Solution (UTAS) as a replacement for the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS), release of revitalisation funds for decaying infrastructure, renegotiation of the 2009 agreement covering funding and conditions of service, and respect for collective bargaining. The union stressed that the countdown began on September 29, meaning that by October 13 the Federal Government must respond or risk a total shutdown of academic activities in public universities.
The warning recalls the union’s history of repeated disputes with government, most notably the eight-month strike in 2022, one of the longest in its history, which paralysed academic activities nationwide. Since the signing of the 2009 agreement, ASUU has embarked on more than 15 strikes, often citing unfulfilled promises. This cycle of disputes has left students, parents, and stakeholders weary and sceptical of government commitments.
Students across campuses have already expressed frustration over the looming strike, saying the uncertainty in the academic calendar disrupts career plans, international opportunities, and mental well-being. Parents have also voiced concern about the financial and social impact, noting that costs such as feeding and accommodation remain even when academic work is suspended. Observers warn that such disruptions push more families to consider private or foreign universities, while the majority are left to endure prolonged academic stagnation.
As of press time, the Federal Government had not formally responded to ASUU’s ultimatum, though officials in the ministries of Education and Labour are expected to initiate consultations. In the past, government negotiators have cited revenue shortfalls and competing national priorities as reasons for delayed implementation of agreements, while defending IPPIS as a tool for transparency. ASUU has consistently rejected this argument, insisting that the system undermines university autonomy and fails to reflect the peculiarities of academic work.
If the 14-day ultimatum expires without resolution, analysts warn of grave consequences: disruption of the academic calendar, decline in research output, erosion of public trust in the education system, and further capital flight as students seek opportunities abroad. The delay in graduation cycles could also increase unemployment and poverty, while a prolonged strike might spark wider labour unrest.
Education experts have described ASUU’s position as a wake-up call. Dr. Kunle Ajayi, a lecturer in Lagos, said, “ASUU has been consistent in its demands for better funding of education. If the government continues to neglect these issues, we will keep seeing a brain drain, where our best academics leave for better opportunities abroad.” Others, however, argue that ASUU should consider alternatives to strikes, which they say place the heaviest burden on students and their families.
For now, the countdown continues as students, parents, and lecturers anxiously await the government’s next move. The coming days will determine whether Nigeria’s universities plunge into yet another round of industrial action or whether a breakthrough will finally end the cycle of strikes that has plagued the sector for more than a decade.
