Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has warned the federal government to honour its agreements with university lecturers or face another nationwide strike.
The warning was issued at the National Executive Council (NEC) meeting held at Taraba State University, Jalingo, where members were briefed on the latest offers from the government’s negotiating team.
In a statement signed by ASUU president, Christopher Piwuna, the NEC expressed concern over what it described as the government’s back-and-forth approach to negotiations, warning that continued indecision could have serious consequences.
It would be worth recalling that at an emergency NEC meeting on October 21, 2025, the union had ended a warning strike despite describing the government’s efforts as grossly insufficient.
The decision to suspend the strike was made to allow further engagement and in recognition of support from students, parents, the media, the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), and other well-meaning Nigerians.
Daily Source gathered that a one-month window was granted to the government to conclude renegotiations in good faith.
However, two weeks into the suspension, the NEC reviewed progress and rejected the proposed salary increment as inadequate to reverse the long-standing brain drain in the nation’s universities.
While some non-monetary aspects of the agreement have seen progress, ASUU noted that salary and conditions of service remain critical issues requiring urgent attention.
The union expressed hope that the expectations of Nigerians for a quick and holistic resolution would not be dashed.
ASUU criticised government officials for undermining the negotiation process through misrepresentation and selective implementation of agreements.
It described the partial payment of promotion arrears dating back to 2017 and the release of third-party deductions as confidence-boosting gestures rather than solutions to the core issues.
According to the statement, presenting these measures as major progress misrepresents reality and threatens the integrity of the negotiation process.
The NEC emphasised that the remaining days of the one-month window must be used wisely to achieve a holistic resolution, particularly to improve the living conditions of academics.
The union also highlighted that, contrary to government claims of economic hardship, federal and state revenues have grown substantially in recent years.
Data from the Federal Accounts Allocation Committee showed state revenues rising from N3.92 trillion in 2022 to N5.81 trillion in 2024, while federal revenues increased from N3.42 trillion to N4.65 trillion over the same period.
ASUU maintained that the problem is a lack of political will, not insufficient funds.
The union called on traditional rulers, community leaders, students, the NLC, and civil society to continue to impress on the government to act responsibly and provide lecturers with a living wage.
