The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has declared that it will not be intimidated by the Federal Government’s warning to invoke the ‘no-work, no-pay’ policy, insisting that its ongoing two-week warning strike will continue until all unresolved issues affecting public universities are fully addressed.
Reacting to a statement from the Federal Ministry of Education urging the union to suspend its planned industrial action, ASUU described the government’s appeal as “a threat disguised as negotiation.”
The ASUU President, Dr Chris Piwuna, on Monday, 13 October, confirmed that the strike had already commenced across public universities nationwide.
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“We have started the strike, and it will continue. We don’t respond to threats. If they want to resort to a threat, let them go ahead. The union is ready for any threat,” Piwuna said.
“They can’t threaten us and call for negotiation. They should withdraw their threat if they want negotiations.”
Government’s Response
The Federal Government, through the Minister of Education, Dr Maruf Tunji Alausa, and the Minister of State for Education, Hajiya Suwaiba Sai’d Ahmad, had earlier appealed to ASUU to embrace dialogue, claiming that it had made a “comprehensive offer” addressing staff welfare, working conditions, and institutional governance.
The ministers warned that the administration would not hesitate to implement the no-work, no-pay rule if the union proceeded with the strike.
“While government remains committed to peaceful dialogue, it will equally enforce existing laws to protect the integrity of our education system and ensure accountability,” the statement read.
They further clarified that some of ASUU’s demands, particularly those relating to internal governance, appointments, and promotions, fall under the jurisdiction of university governing councils and should be handled at the institutional level.
Unmet Commitments
ASUU, however, accused the government of failing to meet key obligations, including unpaid salary arrears, earned academic allowances (EAA), and withheld wages from the 2022 strike.
Piwuna said the union’s decision followed the federal government’s inability to honour previous agreements despite repeated engagements and notices.
“Compatriots of the press, it goes without saying that there is nothing sufficient on ground to stop the implementation of the ASUU-NEC’s resolution to embark on a two-week warning strike at the expiry of the 14-day notice given on the 28th of September 2025,” he stated.
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He acknowledged the recent release of ₦50 billion by the Ministry of Education as part of the EAA but noted that the amount represents only a fraction of what is owed to members.
According to him, the total EAA arrears stand at ₦103 billion, and the union had earlier agreed to forfeit 50 per cent of the allowance on the condition that the remaining balance would be paid and integrated into their salaries.
Background
ASUU officially declared a two-week warning strike on Sunday, 12 October 2025, after the expiration of its 14-day ultimatum to the government. The strike, which commenced on Monday, 13 October, affects all public universities across the country.
The union cited the government’s failure to settle outstanding obligations, including 12 months of unpaid salary increments (25–35 per cent) and three and a half months of withheld salaries from the 2022 strike — a measure it described as punitive.
Piwuna also criticized the Federal Government’s reliance on the no-work, no-pay policy, noting that the industrial court’s ruling on the matter remains inconclusive, leaving its application open to interpretation.
A Familiar Standoff
The latest confrontation between ASUU and the Federal Government rekindles memories of past protracted strikes that paralyzed Nigeria’s public university system.
Between 2016 and 2022, the union embarked on strike five times under the Muhammadu Buhari administration, with the 2022 industrial action lasting eight months and disrupting academic calendars nationwide.
Although a relatively stable academic year was recorded in 2023, ASUU maintains that chronic underfunding, poor remuneration, and weak institutional autonomy continue to undermine the nation’s higher education sector.
The union insists that its demands are aimed at safeguarding university standards, protecting staff welfare, and ensuring sustainable reforms in Nigeria’s tertiary education system.
