FG Denies Signing Any Binding Agreement with ASUU Amid Ongoing Protests

The Federal Government, through the Minister of Education Dr. Tunji Alausa, has clarified that there is no signed and binding agreement between the government and the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU). Addressing the press in Abuja on Thursday, August 28, 2025, Dr. Alausa stated that the documents often referred to as agreements by ASUU are merely draft proposals and have not received formal government endorsement. He stressed that both the 2009 and 2011 agreements cited by ASUU were never signed but only proposals made during negotiations. The minister emphasized that the current administration, under President Bola Tinubu, is committed to finding sustainable, legally sound solutions that will keep Nigerian universities open and ensure uninterrupted learning .

Dr. Alausa also disclosed that a high-level meeting held on August 28, 2025, involved stakeholders from ministries of Education, Labour and Justice, the National Universities Commission, the Salaries and Wages Commission, and the Budget Office. This meeting reviewed ASUU’s proposals in detail, with a technical team working towards producing a clean and final report to be forwarded to the Yayale Ahmed-led committee tasked with renegotiating the 2009 agreement .

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The ongoing protests by ASUU lecturers across Nigerian universities, declared as a day of protest on August 26, 2025, reflect the union’s deep dissatisfaction with the government’s handling of lecturer welfare, salary arrears, university funding, and autonomy issues. ASUU has criticized the government for persistent neglect and has warned that if unresolved, the issues could lead to another strike, which the government is determined to avoid. The union insists that the government should fulfill outstanding commitments, including unpaid salaries, promotion arrears, and earned academic allowances rather than offering loan schemes .

In summary, the Federal Government asserts that no enforceable agreement exists with ASUU at present, and it aims to negotiate agreements that are actionable, constitutionally backed, and designed to prevent disruptions in university education. This governmental stance marks a renewed effort to solve the lingering disputes with the academic union with honesty and sustainability while assuring Nigerians of the commitment to keep academic activities ongoing .