As the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) begins a two-week warning strike across its branches nationwide today, reactions have continued to trail the move.

ASUU President, Prof. Chris Piwuna, announced the decision at a press conference in Abuja yesterday.

He declared that all the branches of ASUU have been directed to withdraw their services with effect from midnight today, October 13, adding that the warning strike shall be total and comprehensive as agreed at the last National Executive Council (NEC) meeting of the Union.

He said, “As stated in our media briefing of September 29, 2025, the NEC meeting decried the neglect of the university system and the government’s consistent refusal to heed its demands.

“Consequently, NEC resolved to give the Federal Government an ultimatum of 14 days within which to address these issues. If, at the end of the ultimatum, the Federal Government fails to address these issues, the union may have no option but to embark on a two-week warning strike without any further notice.

Reacting, the President of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), Olusola Ladoja, declined comment on the matter, stating that he would address a press conference on the matter in Ibadan today.

“I cannot speak on this issue now. I have made an arrangement to address a press conference in Ibadan on Monday. I am on my way to Ibadan now. Thank you.”

Similarly, the Special Adviser to the President on Student Engagement, Sunday Asefon, appreciated the patience of ASUU over the years, but reminded them that the Federal Government is committed to providing a permanent solution to the prolonged issues

“ASUU has the right to demand the welfare of their members, but the items on their demand list are not what will be fixed overnight. Enough time is required to address them, and obviously, the Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa and his team are working around the clock to resolve the issue.

“Declaring a strike is not the solution because it will affect the academic calendar of the school, as well as the students who would be greatly affected.”

He appealed to the ASUU to reconsider their position and not fix on disrupting academic activities in the university campuses, assuring that the issues would be resolved as quickly as possible.

A clergyman, Archbishop Emmanuel Effa, said that the ASUU strike has become something that Nigerians have to accept as a new normal.

He stated, “When I was in the university some 25 to 30 years ago, we had ASUU strikes for months. Up until today, we still have ASUU strikes. So, Nigerians, particularly parents and students, should find a way to factor the ASUU strike into their planning.

“If you are waiting for ASUU strikes to end before you become who you want to become, you may never be that thing. Just in your own space, do the best you can and be good to yourself and the next person.”

A parent, Vincent Eke, said he knew the back and forth between the government and ASUU would not be resolved anytime soon.

“This is the reason I had to secure admission for my daughter in a private university in Abuja. It wasn’t an easy thing for me because I had to pay over N2 million this year for him. It’s eaten deep into my pocket, but that’s the only way she could get an education within the stipulated time.”

He expressed optimism that the government would resolve the issues within the shortest time so there could be industrial peace and harmony in the university campuses.

“I read in the news platforms last week that the government is fast-tracking actions on the contentious issues. So, there’s hope that the matter will be resolved before the two weeks warning strike is over. “

Lamba Luka, a 200-level student of Nasarawa State University, lamented the devastating effect the ASUU decision would have on the students. “ASUU strike has become something that has refused to end. When we thought the matter had been resolved, it started again. Year in, year out, students are pushed out of the university campuses because of strike by university lecturers.”

The university system, in the past two years, has not witnessed a major academic disruption by ASUU until the recent two weeks warning strike.

Kareem Ideh, a 300-level student at the University of Abuja (UniAbuja), expressed sadness over the news of the nationwide strike by ASUU. “I saw this news this Sunday evening and was devastated. It simply means that effective Monday, we will be unproductive pending when they resolve the matter with the government.

“This will affect all our plans this period, including financial provisions that come from our parents. All parties need to fix this ASUU thing once and for all.”

The Executive Director, Projects and Empowerment, National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) Headquarters, Tegbe Fiyinfoluwa, told Daily Sun that NANS was deeply concerned about the implications of the two weeks strike on Nigerian students.

He said it would further disrupt the academic calendar, thereby exacerbating the already precarious situation in the universities.

He urged the Federal Government to prioritise education funding and engage in meaningful dialogue and discussion with ASUU to resolve the outstanding issues.

“Students’ welfare should be paramount, and we need a stable academic environment to thrive. We call on both parties to consider the future of our education system and the well-being of students. We need a swift resolution to this impasse,” he stated.

A final student of Ogun State University (OOU), Alade Solaja, said the action of ASUU would certainly disrupt academic activities in federal and state universities.

According to him, the Federal Government ought to have resolved some of ASUU’s demands and work out the implementation of the remaining ones. He suggested direct intervention of President Bola Tinubu to avert a prolonged ASUU strike.

Another student, Yemisi Ojelade, a 300 level student of the University of Lagos, expressed concern that if the government fails to meet ASUU’s demands after two weeks, the union might prolong the strike.

She wondered why the Federal Government allowed the issue to get to the point of ASUU directing its members to embark on strike. “The government should have engaged ASUU leadership in discussion, pay the withheld salaries and the earned academic allowance to avert the industrial action,” she said.

A parent with two children in UNILAG, Fola Solarin, described the strike as unacceptable and urged the Minister of Education to ensure the strike does not go beyond the two weeks.

He said parents cannot afford to have the children at home and that the strike would affect students’ graduation and other related academic programmes on various campuses.

Another worried parent, Theresa Ojeme, called on President Tinubu to avert the strike and appealed to ASUU to open the door for further discussion.

“Our children cannot afford to be at home. My two children just left for their institutions, and I have given them what they required. What happens if ASUU prolongs the strike? One of my children is in his final year, and the strike will certainly affect his graduation. The government should, as a matter of urgency, meet with the union leaders to resolve the impasse,” she stated.

The President, during the 2023 election campaign, promised that the university system would not witness a strike, assuring university lecturers that he would do all within his powers to ensure industrial peace and harmony in the university system.

Meanwhile, a few days ago, the Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, made an appeal to all the university-based labour unions, notably ASUU, Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions (NASU) and Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU), to shelve the planned nationwide strike, reassuring them that the government was working assiduously to address all their outstanding demands

He told the unions that the government had commenced serious actions on their demands and would soon arrive at a realistic document that would be mutually beneficial to all parties.

He made reference to the recently reconstituted and inaugurated expanded renegotiation committee led by Yayale Ahmed, which, he said, had been mandated to fast-track talks with both academic and non-academic unions in universities, polytechnics and colleges of education.

He said, “In the past, we had three different committees working on the needs of the institutions. One was for universities, one for polytechnics and one for colleges of education. But that was not an efficient way to negotiate. Now, we have one expanded negotiating committee that engages all tertiary institutions and all unions, both academic and non-academic, to ensure a holistic understanding of their needs.

“The President has mandated us to do everything humanly possible to avoid a strike in the institutions. People at the highest level of government have been working several hours behind the scenes to come up with a robust but affordable response to the unions’ demands. These issues have dragged on for over 10 to 15 years, but this administration is determined to resolve them once and for all.

“About 80 per cent of the unions’ requests are similar across the tertiary sub-sectors, while the remaining 20 per cent relate to peculiar career and institutional needs. We have seen all the requests and we understand their peculiarities. The new committee has started work already and will continue to engage the unions expeditiously to reach a mutually beneficial agreement.

“We are finalising the components of the condition of service that ASUU had proposed. Our counterpart committee is also working to conclude its response, and hopefully, by the end of today or tomorrow, the Mahmud Yayale Ahmed Committee will present the Federal Government’s counteroffer to ASUU.

“The President has kept his promises. We have addressed promotional arrears, and the issues of wage awards and allowances have been resolved. By next year, all arrears will be fully cleared, including the 2025 wage award. The government is sincere and committed.

“We know you have been patient, but please don’t use strike as your first resort. These are issues that have lingered for decades. The president has shown genuine political will and benevolence towards education. We will resolve this matter comprehensively, respectfully and in a way the government can afford,” he said.

Alausa highlighted several steps already taken by the government to demonstrate commitment, including the release of N50 billion for earned academic allowances and the provision of N150 billion in the 2025 budget for the revitalisation of tertiary institutions.

He assured that discussions on the new conditions of service would soon be concluded, noting that this was the final component of the ongoing negotiation process. (The Sun)