Posted by Siseko Tapile
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When Professor Emmanuel Osodeke, National President of the Academic Staff Union of Universities announced a two‑week walkout on Sunday night, the nation’s 45,000 academics across 40 federal campuses went silent by dawn on Monday. The declaration, made at 8:27 PM West Africa Time, came straight from Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) after the Federal Government of Nigeria failed to meet a seven‑point demand list. Within hours, lecture halls, labs, and even the quiet corners where dissertations are edited were empty, and students from Lagos to Zaria wondered whether their exams would ever happen.
ASUU’s demands are not new; they echo grievances that have sparked 18 strikes since the union’s first industrial action in 1999. This time the list is crystal clear:
The federal side, articulated by Ministry of Education Permanent Secretary Sonny Echono, left no room for compromise: “We won’t pay for work not done. No work, no pay.” The same line echoed in a press briefing by spokesperson Mike Omeri later that evening.
Back in 2009 the government pledged ₦1.05 trillion for campus upgrades and ₦500 billion a year for research – numbers that have not budged despite inflation soaring over 300 % since then. The World Bank’s September 2025 Higher‑Education Report showed a 60 % funding gap across Nigerian universities. In a 2024 ASUU infrastructure audit, only a fraction of lab equipment was operational, a fact that students hear echoed in every lecture hall.
Earlier strikes – February 2022 (nine months), October 2020 (five months), and September 2017 (five months) – all ended with shaky agreements that the government later slipped on. That pattern makes this latest declaration feel almost inevitable.
With the strike slated to run from 13 October to 24 October, roughly 750,000 undergraduates and 150,000 postgraduates stand idle. Tuition fees, research grants, and ancillary services that normally bring in about ₦4.5 billion a day are now on pause, according to a report by the Nigerian Economic Summit Group released on 11 October.
At University of Lagos, the Senate Building buzzed with an emergency meeting on 10 October, where Professor Emmanuel Osodeke told the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) leaders, “Our demands are not personal; they aim to strengthen the quality of university education in the country.” The sentiment was unanimous among student representatives, who fear that the Harmattan semester examinations, set to start on 24 October, will be scrapped or postponed.
Beyond the campus gates, the strike threatens a loss of about ₦30 billion in national productivity, the NESG estimate notes. The education sector’s contribution to Nigeria’s GDP has been hovering around 5 %; a sudden freeze could shave off a noticeable slice. The finance ministry, headed by Finance Minister Wale Edun, argues that fiscal constraints — a budget deficit of roughly ₦8 trillion this year — limit immediate disbursements. Yet Central Bank of Nigeria data show the 2025 education allocation already sits at ₦2.8 trillion, roughly 5.5 % of the overall budget, far short of the UNESCO‑recommended 15 %.
The National Universities Commission (NUC) issued a memo on 12 October, signed by Director‑General Abubakar Adamu, suspending all accreditation activities for the strike period. That means new programmes, pending approvals, and even routine quality checks are on hold.
Every federal university’s academic calendar now needs a rewrite. The University of Nigeria Nsukka, for instance, had slated its semester end for 15 November; with the strike cutting into that window, the NUC anticipates a ripple of extensions, exam postponements, and possible clashes with graduation ceremonies.
ASUU has set a deadline of 4 October for the government to respond – a date that passed without comment. Legal adviser Barrister Yusuf Umar reminded stakeholders that Section 10(1) of the 2009 agreement guarantees "full payment for services rendered prior to industrial action," a clause the government appears to be ignoring.
The next step could be mediation through the Labour Ministry, but past attempts have fizzled. If talks break down, the union may extend the walkout beyond 24 October, further jeopardizing the Harmattan exams and pushing graduation dates into the following year.
For now, students are scrambling to gather notes, tutors are posting PDFs online, and university administrators are lobbying in Abuja. The nation watches, aware that education is not just a sector but a cornerstone of long‑term development.
Undergraduates lose access to lectures, labs, and assessments for the two‑week period. Many campuses have set up online repositories of lecture notes, but exams slated for late October are likely to be postponed, extending the academic year for most cohorts.
Officials, led by Permanent Secretary Sonny Echono, argued that the country’s fiscal deficit prevents immediate disbursement of the requested funds. They emphasized a "no work, no pay" stance, claiming that paying salaries and arrears for work not performed would set a dangerous precedent.
Repeated industrial actions erode confidence among international partners and rankings bodies. If the funding gap persists, research output and facility quality will continue to lag, potentially dropping Nigeria further in global university rankings.
ASUU’s legal adviser, Barrister Yusuf Umar, cites Section 10(1) of the 2009 agreement, which guarantees payment for services rendered before a strike. The union could pursue arbitration through the Labour Ministry or take the matter to court, although past cases have been protracted.
If the strike ends on 24 October as scheduled, both sides have indicated a willingness to meet within the first week of November. However, any extension of the walkout will push negotiations further into the new year.
Comments
s.v chauhan
Wow, this strike really shows the power of solidarity among Nigeria’s academics. It's impressive how quickly the 45,000 staff mobilised after the announcement. The walkout sends a strong message about the need for better funding and infrastructure. I hope the government finally listens before the students suffer more. Keep pushing, ASUU – the future of education depends on it!
October 12, 2025 at 23:13
Halbandge Sandeep Devrao
The exigent circumstances delineated in the 2009 ASUU‑FGN agreement merit a rigorous re‑examination, particularly in light of macro‑economic depreciation of the naira. Empirical analyses underscore a persistent 300 % inflationary trajectory, rendering the extant fiscal allocations grossly inadequate. Moreover, the TETFund statutory mandate of a 10 % budgetary share remains conspicuously unfulfilled, contravening legislative provisions. Consequently, the union's demand for a dedicated research and development fund is not merely aspirational but indispensable for sustaining scholarly output. In sum, the government's reticence engenders a systemic jeopardy to Nigeria’s tertiary sector.
October 12, 2025 at 23:30
One You tea
Yo, this whole thing is a massive slap in the face of our future generations! The govt keeps pulling the rug, and we’re stuck watching labs rust away. It’s like they think education is a luxury, not a right. Wake up, people – our universities are crumbling and no one’s fixing it! 😡💥
October 12, 2025 at 23:46
Hemakul Pioneers
Thinking about the long‑term implications, it becomes evident that continuous disruptions erode academic credibility. When scholars are forced to abandon research, the nation loses vital intellectual capital. A balanced approach, where both parties negotiate in good faith, would safeguard our educational ecosystem. I trust that dialogue can restore a sustainable path forward.
October 13, 2025 at 00:03
Bhaskar Shil
From a mentorship standpoint, it’s crucial we emphasize capacity‑building even amid strikes. Leveraging virtual platforms can partially mitigate learning losses, though it’s no substitute for functional labs. The union’s push for a research fund aligns with global best practices and should be prioritized. Let’s keep the conversation constructive and solution‑oriented.
October 13, 2025 at 00:20
Shivam Pandit
Seriously, this is a massive wake‑up call!; The students deserve continuity; The government’s “no work, no pay” stance ignores the reality that many staff have already fulfilled their duties; The infrastructure gaps are glaring; Let’s hope mediation happens ASAP; We all need a win‑win scenario.
October 13, 2025 at 00:36
parvez fmp
🤣🤣 This strike is like a drama series that never ends! Universities are empty, students are freaking out, and the govt is playing hardball. Can’t wait to see the next episode – maybe they’ll finally pay up? 🙏🏽💸
October 13, 2025 at 00:53
Sonia Arora
It’s heartbreaking to witness the erosion of Nigeria’s academic heritage. The cultural significance of our universities extends far beyond textbooks; they are crucibles of our identity. When funding stalls, we aren’t just compromising education, we jeopardize the very narratives that bind our nation together. I stand with ASUU in demanding respect for our scholarly legacy.
October 13, 2025 at 01:10
abhinav gupta
Great, another strike, just what we needed.
October 13, 2025 at 01:26
vinay viswkarma
Honestly, this is exactly why I doubt any real change will happen.
October 13, 2025 at 01:43
Jay Fuentes
Keep the faith, everybody! Even though it’s tough now, these challenges can spark innovative solutions. Imagine a future where universities get the support they truly need. Let’s stay positive and keep pushing for those reforms.
October 13, 2025 at 02:00
akash shaikh
lol u guys think they’ll actually fix stuff? i doubt it, but hey, keep trying. maybe the govt will pretend to listen then drop the ball again. 😂
October 13, 2025 at 02:16
Anil Puri
Honestly, the whole narrative feels contrived. They parade around with promises, but the cash never materialises. It's like watching a badly written soap opera where the plot never resolves.
October 13, 2025 at 02:33
poornima khot
From a philosophical lens, the strike reflects a deeper societal dissonance. While the language of demands is formal, the lived reality of students is anything but. It is incumbent upon us to bridge that gap through empathetic policy and tangible investment.
October 13, 2025 at 02:50