Breaking: ASUU Suspends Two-Week Strike, Gives FG One Month to Finalise 2009 Agreement
The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has called off its two-week warning strike, giving the Federal Government a one-month ultimatum to finalise the renegotiation of the 2009 FGN/ASUU Agreement and address other pending issues threatening Nigeria’s public university system.
The decision was confirmed by ASUU President, Prof. Chris Piwuna, during a press briefing held in Abuja on Wednesday. PulseNets learnt that the suspension came after fruitful discussions between the union and representatives of the Federal Government, with additional mediation efforts from the National Assembly.
Prof. Piwuna, who spoke to PulseNets after the briefing, recalled that the union declared the warning strike on October 13, 2025, citing the government’s failure to respond to multiple appeals to resolve the long-standing renegotiation of the 2009 FGN/ASUU Agreement and other welfare concerns affecting academic staff across Nigerian universities.
“When we gathered here about ten days ago to painfully announce a warning strike, it wasn’t out of choice. The government had repeatedly turned a blind eye to matters that determine the survival of our public universities,”
Prof. Piwuna told PulseNets.
He disclosed that the Federal Government, following the union’s industrial action, re-engaged ASUU through a team led by Alhaji Yayale Ahmed, which met with union representatives on October 16 and 18 to deliberate on the government’s position regarding the draft renegotiated agreement.
According to details obtained by PulseNets, while the meetings did not resolve all lingering issues, the union acknowledged “significant progress” compared to the pre-strike period.
The ASUU President also commended the interventions of the Senate Committees on Tertiary Education and TETFund, and Labour, alongside the Deputy Senate President, Senator Barau Jibrin, whose mediation, he noted, “rekindled hope for a lasting resolution.”
He further explained that the National Executive Council (NEC) of ASUU, after an emergency meeting held between October 21 and 22, 2025, reviewed the progress and concluded that the warning strike had achieved part of its objectives—notably compelling the government to resume meaningful negotiations.
“While we acknowledge that there’s still much work to be done, NEC resolved to suspend the warning strike to create room for a more conducive atmosphere for continued engagement,”
Prof. Piwuna announced.
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PulseNets reported that with this latest development, attention now shifts to how swiftly the Federal Government can act within the one-month window to prevent another disruption in the nation’s already fragile academic calendar.
