The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has warned that it is fully prepared to embark on what it calls the “mother of all strikes” if the Federal Government continues to delay implementation of agreements signed as far back as 2009. The threat came on Tuesday during a press briefing held by the University of Calabar (Unical) chapter.
Unical ASUU Chairman, Dr. Peter Ubi, declared that the union has exhausted patience after years of unmet promises, stressing that the industrial action would commence once the national body gives approval following its August 28 meeting. He said the strike would persist until government shows clear commitment to resolving issues that have crippled Nigeria’s higher education sector.
Among ASUU’s longstanding demands are the renegotiation of the 2009 agreement, sustainable funding for Nigerian universities, and the revitalisation of decaying infrastructure. The union also insists on the immediate payment of the outstanding 25–35% wage award, three months’ salary arrears, four years’ promotion arrears, and the settlement of unremitted third-party deductions.
Dr. Ubi noted that government’s refusal to address these matters has pushed lecturers into hardship and forced universities into stagnation. “We are here to inform Nigerians that these undisputed issues have remained unresolved for several years. ASUU has explored dialogue, appeals, and strategies, but the government has continued to pay deaf ears,” he said.
Beyond funding, the union raised alarm over the proliferation of universities across Nigeria, calling for a halt to new approvals, especially for private institutions. Ubi argued that unchecked licensing without adequate resources or standards was worsening the quality of education. According to him, Nigeria already has 72 federal and 159 private universities, with a total of 339 universities nationwide.
The call comes as the Federal Government, during a recent Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting chaired by President Bola Tinubu, announced a seven-year moratorium on new federal universities, citing overstretched resources and poor quality. However, the same meeting controversially approved the creation of nine new universities, raising fresh concerns about policy inconsistency.
Education stakeholders warn that another ASUU strike could paralyse the academic calendar nationwide, affecting over 2 million students and worsening brain drain as lecturers seek opportunities abroad. For now, all eyes are on the August 28 ASUU meeting, which could determine whether Nigeria’s universities face yet another indefinite shutdown.
