The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has suspended its ongoing two-week warning strike following overnight deliberations by its National Executive Council (NEC), signaling a temporary truce in the long-standing standoff between the union and the Federal Government.
The decision was announced on Wednesday in Abuja by ASUU National President, Prof. Chris Piwuna, during a press briefing that drew attention from key education stakeholders, the media, and representatives of the Federal Ministry of Education.
According to Piwuna, the suspension came after a marathon NEC session that began on Tuesday evening and concluded at 4:00 a.m. on Wednesday. The meeting, he noted, was convened to review government’s latest response to the union’s demands and to consider appeals from concerned Nigerians urging the union to suspend the strike in the national interest.
“We’ve had useful engagements with representatives of the government to consider the response to the draft renegotiation of the 2009 FGN-ASUU agreement. However, we are definitely not where we were prior to the commencement of the strike,” Piwuna stated.
He explained that while the government had demonstrated renewed commitment by returning to the negotiation table, several of ASUU’s key demands remain unresolved. Nonetheless, the NEC opted to suspend the warning strike as a gesture of goodwill and in recognition of appeals from students, parents, and the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC).
“The union acknowledged that the government returned to the negotiation table. While noting that a lot more work is still required, NEC came to the conclusion that the ongoing strike should be reviewed. Consequently, NEC resolved to suspend the warning strike to reciprocate the efforts of well-meaning Nigerians,” the ASUU president announced.
ASUU had on Monday, October 13, declared a two-week warning strike to protest what it described as the government’s persistent failure to implement agreements reached in previous negotiations.
The union’s demands include Conclusion of the renegotiated 2009 FGN-ASUU Agreement; Payment of withheld three and a half months’ salaries; Sustainable funding and revitalisation of public universities;
Other demands are Cessation of victimisation of lecturers in institutions such as Lagos State University (LASU), Prince Abubakar Audu University (PAAU), and the Federal University of Technology, Owerri (FUTO); Payment of outstanding salary arrears (25–35%), promotion arrears of over four years, and release of withheld third-party deductions including cooperative contributions and union check-off dues.
The strike, which disrupted academic activities nationwide, had sparked widespread reactions from students, parents, and education reform advocates, with many calling on both parties to adopt dialogue over confrontation.
Though the Federal Government has yet to issue a formal statement, sources within the Ministry of Education confirmed that “constructive engagements” had taken place with the union, with discussions focused on the implementation timelines of the 2009 agreement and funding models for university revitalisation.
Education analysts have lauded ASUU’s decision to suspend the strike, describing it as a pragmatic move that could pave the way for a lasting resolution to the recurring industrial crises in the tertiary education sector.
However, stakeholders warn that without concrete actions from both parties, the relief may be short-lived. A senior lecturer at the University of Ibadan, who preferred anonymity, said:
“ASUU has shown goodwill by suspending the strike, but the ball is now firmly in the government’s court. The union’s patience is wearing thin, and students cannot continue to be victims of failed promises.”
