The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has issued a fresh warning of an imminent nationwide strike, accusing both federal and state governments of neglecting public university lecturers and failing to honour long-standing agreements.
In a strongly worded statement signed by its National President, Prof. Chris Piwuna, the union said it had been “pushed to the wall,” describing the working and living conditions of academics as “deplorable” and “unsustainable.”
“Lecturers in Nigerian public universities are, to put it mildly, not happy. They teach on empty stomachs, conduct research in poorly equipped libraries and laboratories, and engage communities with rickety vehicles—all while struggling to pay utility bills, school fees, and house rent,” Piwuna said.
ASUU accused the government of demoralising its members while blaming universities for producing “unemployable graduates” and failing to drive innovation.
The union insisted that the root of the crisis lies in the government’s refusal to respect collective bargaining principles enshrined in International Labour Organisation conventions.
The statement also criticised the eight-month delay in concluding the renegotiation of the 2009 FGN-ASUU Agreement, despite the submission of a draft by the Alhaji Yayale Ahmed-led committee in December 2024.
According to ASUU, all major disputes since 2012 have stemmed from the government’s failure to implement the agreement’s provisions on conditions of service, funding, university autonomy, and academic freedom.
“Agents of government pick and choose which aspects of the agreement to implement, ignoring the morale of intellectual workers and the basic requirements for delivering on teaching, research, and community service,” Piwuna said.
The union further condemned political interference in the appointment of Vice Chancellors, warning that universities built on merit and scholarship were being turned into “commodities for politicians and contractors.”
ASUU also dismissed the government’s “Diaspora Bridge” initiative—which seeks to attract Nigerian academics abroad as volunteers—as “hypocritical” in the face of poor working conditions at home.
“For the umpteenth time, ASUU invites all genuine patriots to prevail on the Federal and State Governments to resolve these lingering issues to avert another industrial crisis. Nigerian academics are tired of governments’ excuses,” the statement read.
PLATFORM TIMES reports that if the warning is not heeded, the country could witness yet another disruption to the academic calendar, with millions of students potentially stranded.
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