The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) has issued a seven-day ultimatum to the Federal Government and the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) to resolve their ongoing dispute and avert a prolonged strike that could once again cripple the nation’s academic calendar.
In a statement released on Wednesday and signed by NANS President, Olushola Oladoja, the students’ body expressed deep concern over the escalating tension between ASUU and the government, warning that any further disruption to academic activities would be “completely unacceptable” to Nigerian students.
Oladoja praised the relative stability enjoyed in the education sector under President Bola Tinubu’s administration, noting that universities had recorded two uninterrupted academic years — the first such stretch since Nigeria’s return to democracy in 1999. However, he cautioned that the current industrial impasse was threatening to reverse these gains.
“It is in this spirit that NANS appeals to both ASUU and the Federal Government to find a lasting solution within the next seven days,” Oladoja said. “Many students now study through education loans and cannot afford another academic setback.”
While commending President Tinubu for reforms such as the Nigerian Education Loan Fund, the removal of tertiary institutions from the Integrated Personnel and Payroll Information System (IPPIS), and special TETFund interventions, Oladoja said poor communication and delays in implementing agreements with ASUU had reignited unnecessary tension.
According to him, NANS’ findings revealed that a recent meeting convened by the government to address ASUU’s grievances was not attended by the union due to procedural issues. “We have secured assurances from both sides that they are ready to meet once it is properly reconvened. The government must act quickly to bridge this communication gap,” he added.
Oladoja urged President Tinubu to personally intervene in the dispute to prevent a relapse into the cycle of strikes that have long plagued Nigerian universities. “Failure to act swiftly could erode the goodwill and stability achieved in the education sector,” he warned.
ASUU began a warning strike on Monday following the expiration of a 14-day ultimatum to the government to implement key aspects of its long-standing demands. These include the renegotiation of the 2009 ASUU-FGN Agreement, payment of withheld salaries, revitalisation of universities, and sustainable funding for tertiary institutions.
The union also wants payment of salary arrears, promotion arrears spanning four years, and release of withheld cooperative deductions. The renegotiation of the 2009 agreement has remained stalled since 2017, despite multiple committees, including one chaired by Yayale Ahmed, whose report was submitted in December 2024 but remains unimplemented.
In response to the strike, Minister of Education, Tunji Alausa, reportedly directed vice-chancellors to enforce the government’s “No Work, No Pay” policy — a move that has sparked outrage among lecturers and heightened tensions on campuses.
The ongoing strike has already disrupted examinations in several universities nationwide, leaving students and parents anxious over another potential academic shutdown.
