The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has again criticised the Federal Government for what it described as a lack of commitment to resolving long-standing issues affecting public universities.
The union said the unresolved matters include funding for universities, lecturers’ conditions of service, university autonomy, legislative concerns involving JAMB and NUC, and the implementation of previous agreements.
ASUU recalled that at its National Executive Council (NEC) meeting held in Jalingo in October 2025, members were updated on ongoing discussions with the government following the union’s earlier two-week warning strike. The strike was suspended after ASUU observed what seemed like a shift in the government’s previous indifference.
However, at a press conference on Tuesday, the Lagos Zone of the union warned that the situation had again deteriorated.
Speaking at the Lagos State University of Education, Ijanikin, the Lagos Zonal Coordinator, Adesola Nassir, said the government had shown no willingness to address the union’s concerns.
He stated that the Federal Government has remained “unrepentant in its determination to ignore the genuine and patriotic demands of Nigerians for quality and globally competitive university education.”
Nassir noted that the government only began releasing withheld salary deductions and promotion arrears after ASUU went on strike, describing the action as another sign of the government’s disregard for Nigerians.
He also criticised what the union called the “reprehensible manner” in which the Minister of Education, Dr. Moruf Alausa, had handled issues, especially his insistence on a “no work, no pay” stance. According to Nassir, this reflects the “arrogance and insensitivity” of the political leadership.
ASUU further expressed frustration over the 2009 ASUU–Federal Government Agreement, saying it has effectively become “a negotiation without end.” The union argued that instead of fulfilling its obligations, the government has shifted much of the burden to TETFund, an intervention agency.
It added that this was happening at a time when other African countries with fewer resources were investing more in education. ASUU highlighted that Nigeria’s education funding has remained below 10% for more than a decade and is currently less than 1% of GDP—lower than Egypt, Ghana, Gabon, and South Africa.
The union also rejected the recent 35% salary increase proposed by the government, describing it as insufficient and “unscientific,” insisting that Nigerian lecturers would still remain among the lowest-paid on the continent.
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In a statement signed by Nassir and seven other leaders across universities in the Lagos Zone—UNILAG, OOU, UNAAB, TASFUED, LASUSTECH, LASUED, and LASU—ASUU said it would support any national action aimed at resolving the crisis.
The union stressed that its members do not enjoy going on strike.
“No ASUU member likes strikes. Each time we go on strike, it sets back our activities, our research, and many other responsibilities,” Nassir said.
“When we resume, we must start all over again… Many of us have not gone on leave for more than a decade because we sacrifice that time to make up for periods lost to strikes… But sometimes, when faced with challenges like this, you must decide whether to rescue the system or simply walk away.”
ASUU maintained that education is a right, not a privilege, insisting that Nigeria’s challenge is not a lack of resources but the absence of political will to prioritise the sector.
“We shall rebuild the Nigerian university system of our dreams from the ashes of this struggle,” the union concluded.