Olushola Omogbehin
The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has called off its two-week warning strike, beginning from midnight of Wednesday, October 22, 2025.
This was disclosed by the National President of ASUU, Prof. Chris Piwuna, during a press briefing in Abuja on Wednesday.
Piwuna said the decision to call off the strike was arrived at during the meeting of the National Executive Council meeting which was held on Wednesday.
The union embarked on the strike on October 13, 2025, over the federal government’s failure to meet several outstanding demands, including the conclusion of the renegotiated 2009 FGN-ASUU agreement, payment of withheld salaries, revitalisation of public universities and an end to the alleged victimisation of lecturers.
ASUU has given the Federal Government a one-month window to conclude the ongoing renegotiation of the 2009 FGN-ASUU agreement and fully address other outstanding issues.
“As you are aware, the Federal Government responded to our declaration of warning strike with threats of salary denial and directives to Vice-Chancellors on ways to make the union’s action ineffectual, However, we can report that ASUU has had useful engagements with representatives and agents of government in the last one week.
“The ASUU Team met on Thursday, 16%, and Saturday, 18 October, 2025 respectively with the Yayale Ahmed-led FGN Team to consider the government’s response to the Draft Renegotiated 2009 FGN/ASUU Agreement. Another date was also fixed for the next round of deliberations by the two teams at the last meeting.
“We certainly have not achieved the twin-objectives of concluding the renegotiation which started way back in 2017, and fully addressing other lingering issues. However, we are definitely not where we were prior to, and at the commencement of the strike. This poignantly shows that, had the government positively responded to the union’s earlier notices and appeals, there would have been no need for the strike in the first place.
“ASUU must place on record the swift intervention of the Senate Committees on Tertiary Education and TETFund, and Labour, led by their respective Chairmen. The union’s engagements with the two committees on Friday, 19th October, 2025, and a follow-up meeting with the Deputy Senate President, Senator Barau Jibrin, same day, appeared promising in amicably resolving all the outstanding issues. Our members place a lot of hope on the strong promises made by these Distinguished Senators. We look forward to working with them to fully deliver on their promises,” he said.
Acknowledging that government has returned to the negotiating table, she said “All issues related to this development have been faithfully reported to ASUU members nationwide and were comprehensively interrogated at an emergency meeting of the National Executive Council (NEC) of our union held 21-22nd October, 2025.
“While noting that a lot of more work is still required, NEC came to the conclusion that the objective of the warning strike had been partly achieved. Hence, it was decided that the ongoing strike be reviewed to allow for a conducive atmosphere for further engagements between the two parties.
“The decision to review the action was borne out of respect for our students and their parents, the media, Nigeria Labour Congress and other well-meaning Nigerians who have mediated in the last ten days and have continued to do so. We owe them a great debt of gratitude for their understanding, resilience and demonstration of solidarity.
“Consequently, NEC resolved to suspend the warning strike to reciprocate the overwhelming support of Nigerians. In addition, NEC resolved that a one-month window should be given to government to conclude the ongoing renegotiation of the 2009 FGN/ASUU and fully address other outstanding, neues, NEC hopes that government would take advantage of this opportunity to tienerusly eve all the issues, in order to guarantee industrial harmony and ensure stability of our academic calendar as it has always promised.
Going by the NEC meeting therefore, the warning strike is hereby suspended with effect from midnight, Wednesday, the 22 of October 2025.”
