ASUU Ultimatum: 14 Days For FG Or Strike Looms

The Warning From Abuja

The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has once again drawn a line in the sand. At a meeting of its National Executive Council on Sunday, 28 September 2025, at the University of Abuja, the union issued a 14-day ultimatum to the Federal Government.

The message was clear, almost blunt. Fix the issues dragging down Nigeria’s universities or risk another spell of strike action. For many Nigerians, the announcement was like a shadow from the past creeping back.

What The Union Is Saying

ASUU’s National President, Prof Chris Piwuna, released a statement accusing the government of neglecting the education sector and turning a blind eye to old agreements.

According to him, the union has grown weary of waiting. If nothing changes by the end of the 14 days, lecturers may first withdraw from classrooms for two weeks as a warning. After that, things could snowball into a full, indefinite strike.

Long-Standing Demands

The issues are not new, yet they remain unresolved. ASUU listed its long-held demands, which include:

• A proper renegotiation of the 2009 agreement
• Fresh revitalisation funds for public universities
• Payment of outstanding salary arrears
• A reliable funding structure that can support the sector for years to come

Many of these promises, the union argues, have been recycled in words but not honoured in action.

The Government’s Side

To ease the tension, the Federal Ministry of Education had recently formed a committee led by its Permanent Secretary, Abel Enitan. The task was to look into ASUU’s proposals and suggest a way forward. Yet, up to now, no decision or outcome has been shared with the public.

What Next For Students?

If you are a student or have one at home, this news might stir that old sense of déjà vu. Will classes be suspended again? Will calendars be disrupted once more? Nobody has the full picture yet, but the next two weeks will tell.

For now, it’s a waiting game, with the clock ticking loud enough for all sides to hear.