The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) on Wednesday told the federal government to stop dodging talks and make education a top priority, warning that continued neglect could harm the country’s future.
In a communiqué issued after its National Executive Council meeting in Jalingo, ASUU said the one-month window given the government to renegotiate earlier talks must be used to “quickly resolve all the issues, in order to keep our children in school.”
The union accused some officials of undermining negotiations and described piecemeal payments and partial steps as pointless. “These gestures, at best, are confidence-boosting exercises and must not be framed as substantial issues of the negotiation process. Government’s objective must not be to win the narrative but to solve the problems,” the communique said.
ASUU said the problem is not lack of money but lack of political will. Pointing to Federation Accounts Allocation Committee figures, the union noted federal revenue rose from ₦3.42 trillion in 2022 to ₦4.65 trillion in 2024, and state allocations grew from ₦3.92 trillion to ₦5.81 trillion over the same period. The union added that the only sure way to protect Nigeria’s future is to invest in education.
The federal government has urged ASUU to shelve any strike plans and continue talks, stressing the need to protect students’ academic calendars while negotiations continue. Officials have warned that the “no work, no pay” rule remains on the table if campuses shut down.
ASUU appealed to traditional rulers, students, labour and civil society to press the government to give lecturers a living wage so universities can function properly.
