FG, ASUU set Monday-Tuesday talks to avert strike

In a bid to halt the looming nationwide strike by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), the Federal Government, through the Yayale Ahmed Renegotiation Committee, has arranged high-stakes meetings scheduled for Monday, November 24, and Tuesday, November 25, 2025. These talks come on the heels of ASUU’s ultimatum, which expired on Saturday, and precede a critical National Executive Council (NEC) meeting of the union that will determine whether the strike will commence.

According to a senior NEC official who spoke anonymously to reporters in Abuja, the union views the government’s meeting schedule with skepticism, interpreting it as a delay tactic aimed at stalling decisive action. The official asserted, “They have convened a meeting for Monday and Tuesday. I believe it’s delay tactics. They are trying to delay us from taking action. After their meeting, we will hold a NEC meeting to decide the next line of action.”

ASUU had previously suspended a two-week warning strike on October 22, 2025, giving the Federal Government a one-month window to address their demands. These demands include a comprehensive review of the 2009 ASUU–Federal Government agreement, payment of outstanding salaries and earned allowances, and the full disbursement of the university revitalization fund—key issues that underpin the prolonged unrest in Nigeria’s public university system.

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Despite these points of contention, the Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, maintains that the government has met the union’s requirements and emphasized ongoing negotiations. Speaking recently to State House correspondents, the minister reiterated President Tinubu’s firm stance against industrial action in public universities, highlighting the administration’s commitment to ensuring uninterrupted academic activities.

As Dr. Alausa remarked, “The President has said that he doesn’t want ASUU to go on strike, and we’re doing everything humanly possible to ensure that our students stay in school. The last strike they went on for about six days was not really needed. We’re talking to them; we’ve met literally all their requirements. Now we’ve gone back to the negotiation table. We’re talking—as I spoke to the leadership this morning. We will resolve this, and part of my visit today here is to explain where we are with the ASUU strike to Mr. President and to extract more concessions from Mr. President.”

The coming days will be crucial as stakeholders await the outcome of these critical negotiations and ASUU’s NEC decision. If unresolved, the strike could halt academic activities across Nigerian universities, impacting millions of students nationwide.

This ongoing standoff underscores the urgent need for sustainable solutions to Nigeria’s public university funding and academic staff welfare issues. For now, the nation watches closely as both sides engage in talks to avoid a disruption in education.