The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Abuja Zone, has raised concerns over what it describes as the Federal Government’s failure to address critical issues affecting public universities, warning that another round of industrial action may be unavoidable.
In a statement, the Abuja Zone — comprising the University of Abuja, Federal University of Technology Minna, Federal University of Lafia, Nasarawa State University Keffi, and Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida University Lapai — said the government had not demonstrated the urgency or sincerity required to resolve long-standing challenges in the university system.
ASUU noted that although it considered the government’s proposals inadequate, it suspended its two-week warning strike on 22 October 2025 out of consideration for students and well-meaning Nigerians, granting the Federal Government one month to conclude negotiations.
Nearly four weeks later, the union said the government had failed to make meaningful progress.
The union listed several outstanding issues, including the renegotiation and full implementation of the 2009 ASUU–FGN Agreement covering staff welfare, funding, revitalisation of universities, and academic autonomy.
It also faulted the withholding of three and a half months’ salaries, despite lecturers fulfilling their teaching and research duties.
Other concerns highlighted include the non-payment of outstanding arrears such as the one-year 25%/35% wage award and withheld third-party deductions, including cooperative contributions and union dues.
ASUU also criticised what it described as misleading statements from the Ministry of Education, insisting that only a small portion of the funds owed to the union had been released.
The Abuja Zone argued that the persistent crisis in public universities stemmed not from a lack of resources but from a lack of political will.
It noted that while government revenue reportedly grew significantly between 2022 and 2024, education sector allocations remained insufficient.
The union warned that prolonged underfunding had resulted in extended academic calendars, increased financial pressure on students, declining teaching and research quality, and worsening morale among academic staff.
ASUU Abuja Zone called on parents, students, civil society groups, the National Assembly, professional bodies, and traditional institutions to demand greater transparency and accountability in the management of education resources.
The union reaffirmed its readiness for genuine dialogue but cautioned that it would be compelled to take lawful action if government continued to “trivialise” the issues facing public universities.
“The future of our public universities and our students must not be sacrificed on the altar of insincerity and political grandstanding,” the statement said.
