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So, it’s happening again. The Academic Staff Union of Universities, better known as ASUU, is once more knocking on the government’s door—this time, with a louder bang. Barring any last-minute miracle, lecturers across Nigeria’s public universities are set to begin a two-week nationwide warning strike on Monday, October 13, 2025. The message? Enough talk, it’s time for action.

The Memo That Sparked It All

The decision came through a memo tagged “Strike Bulletin One,” quietly circulated to branches and later leaked to the press. Inside was a mix of frustration and resolve. The ASUU National President, Prof. Chris Piwuna, explained that after waiting out a two-week ultimatum, the union had no choice left.

According to him, the government had made “no meaningful move” to honour the renegotiated 2009 ASUU-FGN Agreement, a document that has gathered more dust than progress for years. You can almost feel the exasperation in his words, can’t you?

“We gave a 14-day ultimatum for the government to resolve the issues in the negotiated document transmitted since February 2025,” he wrote. “We’ve seen no real progress.”

So, the plan? A two-week warning strike, just to remind everyone that patience has its limits.

What ASUU Wants Fixed

The union’s demands aren’t new. They’ve echoed for nearly a decade:

• Signing and carrying out the 2009 ASUU-FGN Agreement
• Steady funding for public university revitalisation
• Clearing salary arrears between 25 and 35 per cent
• Sorting out promotion delays that have dragged for four years or more
• Paying third-party deductions still hanging somewhere in the system

Each time, government officials nod, hold meetings, and issue promises. But like a song stuck on repeat, nothing much changes. Now, ASUU says it’s tired of “empty chairs and empty replies.”

A Call for Unity and Action

Prof. Piwuna, in his memo, didn’t just talk about demands—he rallied his people. He praised members for staying patient during what he called a “tortuous negotiation” that’s stretched beyond eight years. That’s a long time, even by Nigeria’s negotiation standards.

He urged everyone to stay united and “mobilise every member,” stressing that this isn’t just about pay. It’s also about saving the university system from crumbling and stopping the “japa” wave of lecturers fleeing the country for better lives abroad.

“We are strong when we organise, but weakened when we agonise,” he reminded members.

There’s a punch to that line, like something you’d hear at a rally under the hot Abuja sun.

Members have been told to take orders only from their branch chairpersons and stick to official channels for updates. No side gossip, no confusion—just focus.

Government’s Silence and a Familiar Pattern

Meanwhile, the Federal Ministry of Education is keeping mum. A spokesperson, Folasade Boriowo, said updates would be shared “when available.” That’s bureaucratic for “we don’t have much to say yet.”

You can almost predict how this plays out. ASUU sets a deadline, the government delays, and then the strike hits. Students sit at home, lecturers grow more bitter, and parents shake their heads wondering when the cycle will ever end.

Maybe that’s why some Nigerians, tired of the stop-start rhythm of university life, just sigh and say, “Na who wan study again?”

Another Union, Same Frustration: NAAT Steps In

It’s not only ASUU crying foul this time. The National Association of Academic Technologists (NAAT) has also thrown its hat into the ring, giving the government a 14-day ultimatum too. Their gripes? Also familiar.

In their communiqué from a NEC meeting at the Federal University, Lafia, NAAT said the Ministry of Education, led by Dr Tunji Alausa, hasn’t been keeping its end of the bargain. Agreements signed in July and follow-up meetings held in September have produced plenty of talk but little progress.

Their complaints include:

• The incomplete renegotiation of the FGN/NAAT 2009 Agreement
• Delays in mainstreaming earned allowances
• Non-release of the circular for CONTISS 14 and 15, blocking career progression
• Slow salary payments causing hardship for members

They even mentioned that a report was sent to the government without consulting them first. That one stung deeply.

NAAT’s tone was calm but firm: if nothing happens within 14 days, they’ll down tools too. Everyone’s tired, everyone’s broke, and the economy’s biting harder than ever.