FG Appeals to ASUU: Shelve Strike, Return to Dialogue — Warns of No-Work-No-Pay Enforcement
In a latest development that has reignited national attention on the fragile state of tertiary education in Nigeria, the Federal Government (FG) has formally urged the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) to reconsider its plan for industrial action. The government insists that sustained dialogue remains the most viable route to resolving the sector’s deep-rooted challenges, and has warned that it will enforce the statutory “No Work, No Pay” principle should the union proceed with the strike.
This fresh appeal comes against the backdrop of ASUU’s announcement of a two-week warning strike effective from midnight on Monday, October 13, 2025.
Strategic Offer and Government Commitment
In a joint statement, both the Honourable Minister of Education, Dr. Maruf Tunji Alausa, and the Minister of State for Education, Professor Suwaiba Sai’d Ahmad, disclosed that the FG has submitted a comprehensive offer to ASUU, tailored to address the union’s core grievances. Those grievances include working conditions, institutional governance, staff welfare, and remuneration.
The Ministers affirmed that key components of the union’s demands have already been accommodated by the government. Among these is a newly approved Teaching Allowance intended to better reflect the academic contributions of lecturers in public universities.
They clarified that certain demands—particularly involving internal governance, academic appointments, and promotions—fall under the statutory purview of individual universities’ governing councils. They urged ASUU to allow these matters to be handled at those institutional levels, in line with existing regulatory frameworks, while maintaining respect for university autonomy.
Even as they extolled the administration’s growing interventions in the education sector, the government lamented the union’s apparent unwillingness to reciprocate, accusing ASUU of moving forward with strike plans despite ongoing negotiations.
ASUU Holds Firm: Strike Activated Despite Government Appeals
Despite the FG’s overtures, ASUU leadership, under President Prof. Chris Piwuna, has confirmed the commencement of a two-week warning strike beginning October 13, 2025, after the union’s 14-day ultimatum lapsed with no satisfactory government action.
ASUU maintains that critical demands remain unaddressed:
Renegotiation of the 2009 FG-ASUU agreement
Payment of withheld salaries and Earned Academic Allowances (EAA)
Sustainable funding and revitalisation of public universities
Promotion arrears and resolution of third-party deduction disputes
Alleged victimisation of ASUU members in LASU, KSU, FUTO, and other institutions
In a defiant response to the government’s no-pay threat, some academic voices have publicly criticized the FG’s posture. A statement from one university don described the government’s potential invocation of the no-work-no-pay policy as heavy-handed and contrary to the spirit of negotiation.
Across the sector, tensions are high. While ASUU’s national branches move to withdraw services, its breakaway counterpart, Congress of University Academics (CONUA), has declared that its members will not take part in the strike. CONUA President Dr. Niyi Sunmonu emphasized that his union has no outstanding trade dispute with the FG and remains operational.
Legal, Operational, and Political Implications
Enforcement of No Work, No Pay
The FG has publicly stated that it will invoke the “No Work, No Pay” rule, a labour principle entrenched in Nigerian law, should ASUU proceed with industrial action. The government warned that while it prefers to settle disputes peacefully, it will not hesitate to enforce legal mechanisms to protect the integrity of the education system.
ASUU, however, maintains that existing precedent and court jurisprudence render the applicability of no-pay ambivalent. The union points out that past judicial rulings have allowed discretion in enforcing such penalties when collective bargaining terms or agreements remain unsettled.
Disruption and Academic Calendar Risks
If the strike proceeds uninterrupted, it threatens widespread disruption across Nigeria’s public universities. Students face uncertainty over missed lectures, exams, graduations, and continuity of research work.
Critics of continual strikes argue that these periodic shutdowns—now regular in the history of Nigerian higher education—undermine not only student welfare but also national human capital development. The possibility of a strike extension beyond two weeks looms, should roundtable talks stall.
Political Risks and Public Perception
The standoff places significant political pressure on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration, which has positioned education reform as a key policy pillar. The government’s credibility and resolve will be tested if the strike escalates despite its promises and interventions.
Meanwhile, the public, students, parents, and civil society groups are watching closely, with mounting frustration over repeated disruptions. Some observers argue that ASUU leadership’s reluctance to re-engage more fully could be viewed as bad faith, undermining public support for their cause.
Moving Forward: Paths to Resolution
1. Urgent Face-to-Face Negotiations
The onus now lies heavily on both parties to re-establish meaningful dialogue. Government high-level intervention—even by the Presidency—may be required to break the impasse.
2. Intermediate Implementation and Confidence-Building
The FG could offer phased implementation of its proposals, including partial payments, pilot governance reforms, or early releases of budgeted allowances to rebuild trust.
3. Mediation and Third-Party Oversight
Involving reputable mediators—such as respected education stakeholders, civil society bodies, or labour arbitrators—might offer new traction toward consensus.
4. Transparent Monitoring and Accountability
Any agreement must include clear timelines, benchmarks, and oversight mechanisms to ensure both sides honor commitments.
5. Exploring Institutional Autonomy Channels
On the disputed matters falling under governing councils, the FG, ASUU, and university governance bodies could collaboratively yield institutional roadmaps, referencing extant statutes and reforms.
Conclusion: Strike Should Yield to Dialogue
The Federal Government’s recent entreaty to ASUU—urging the union to shelve its strike plans and return to meaningful negotiation—is a crucial moment in Nigeria’s education narrative. The government believes its new offer goes a long way toward assuaging the union’s core demands, and it has repeatedly affirmed its openness to ongoing engagement.
But with ASUU pressing ahead with a nationwide walkout, the country now faces the peril of renewed academic paralysis. The invocation of “No Work, No Pay” looms large as a legal countermeasure, and the public may see the next few days as a litmus test of both union resolve and governmental will.
For the sake of students, academic continuity, and national development, the parties must urgently return to the negotiating table. The window for a peaceful resolution remains open — it must not slam shut.
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