The strike, which marks the first major labour test for the Bola Tinubu administration, directly challenges the President’s promise made in May 2023 that there would be no ASUU strike during his tenure.
The Federal Government responded by invoking the ‘no-work-no-pay’ policy against striking lecturers, a move ASUU described as “a declaration of war.”
At the heart of the union’s grievances lies the unfulfilled 2009 Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between ASUU and the Federal Government, which included a ₦1.2 trillion revitalisation fund for public universities — an agreement that successive governments have failed to honour.
Government’s Reaction and Ongoing Talks
Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, said the government was already taking steps to resolve the crisis. He revealed that ₦50 billion had been released for Earned Academic Allowances, while ₦150 billion was included in the 2025 budget for the Needs Assessment of universities.
He added that the Yayale Ahmed-led Tertiary Institutions Expanded Negotiation Committee had been reconstituted to fast-track dialogue with academic and non-academic unions across universities, polytechnics, and colleges of education.
However, ASUU faulted the government’s intervention, saying it came “too late.”
ASUU President, Prof. Chris Piwuna, said the union gave a 14-day ultimatum and even accepted a three-week grace period, yet heard nothing from the government until the eve of the strike.
“Our 2009 agreement is still being renegotiated after eight years. Two working days before a strike, the government came to appeal to us. That appeal came too late,” Piwuna stated.
Years of Neglect and Unmet Promises
Since 2009, successive administrations — from Umaru Musa Yar’Adua to Goodluck Jonathan to Muhammadu Buhari — have failed to meet ASUU’s funding commitments. Rather than revitalising existing institutions, the Federal Government continued to establish new universities despite widespread underfunding.
President Tinubu himself has approved at least 12 new tertiary institutions within two years, even as education funding remains below UNICEF’s recommended 20–25% of the national budget. Nigeria currently allocates just 3–7% to education.
The Broader Implications
Experts warn that chronic underfunding and low pay have led to a massive brain drain. Within six years, 239 first-class graduates employed at the University of Lagos reportedly left due to poor remuneration, while ASUU says over 300 professors have resigned in the last nine months alone.
ASUU also criticised government plans to replace the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) with the National Education Loan Fund (NELFUND), describing it as a misplaced priority.
Strikes, analysts note, harm students, disrupt academic calendars, and diminish global competitiveness.
A Test of Tinubu’s Leadership
President Tinubu’s earlier commitment to ending ASUU strikes now faces a defining test. The administration’s credibility depends on honouring agreements and prioritising education over political expediency.
Analysts urge Tinubu to consider a supplementary budget to meet ASUU’s demands and reposition tertiary education as a catalyst for national growth.
“If President Tinubu truly wants to leave a legacy, fulfilling his promise to stabilise the university system will be the best place to start,” one education analyst remarked.
