The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Owerri Zone—which includes Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University (COOU), Federal University of Technology, Owerri (FUTO), Imo State University (IMSU), Michael Okpara University of Agriculture (MOUAU), and Nnamdi Azikiwe University (NAU), Awka—has warned that it will embark on full-scale industrial action from 21 November 2025 if the Federal Government fails to meet its longstanding demands.
The announcement was made in a statement signed by the zonal coordinator, Prof. Dennis Aribodor, during a press conference at the ASUU–Unizik conference in Awka on Thursday.
Prof. Aribodor explained that the warning is necessary to alert stakeholders in Nigeria’s university system and the general public that time is running out to avert a nationwide strike. He recalled that ASUU had earlier suspended a two-week warning strike declared on 13 October 2025, giving the government a one-month window to resolve issues. With only eight days remaining, he expressed disappointment at the government’s inaction.
Highlighting the government’s perceived neglect of education, Aribodor criticized the proposed salary increment for university lecturers, describing it as inadequate and insulting. He noted that the offer would neither motivate lecturers nor address the brain drain affecting Nigerian universities.
Aribodor accused government officials of undermining the negotiation process through selective implementation of agreements, framing of partial payments as major achievements, and attempts to control the narrative instead of addressing core issues. He emphasized that substantial concerns, including salary and conditions of service, remain unresolved.
The union underscored the importance of investing in education as a public good and cited federal and state revenue growth as evidence that economic constraints are not the obstacle. For instance, state revenues increased from ₦3.92 trillion in 2022 to ₦5.81 trillion in 2024, while federal revenue rose from ₦3.42 trillion to ₦4.65 trillion over the same period.
ASUU Owerri Zone called on all stakeholders—including traditional and religious leaders, students, the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), the media, and civil society—to press the government to provide lecturers with a living wage and fully settle all arrears. Minimum demands include payment of the 25–35% wage award, three-and-a-half months’ withheld salaries, promotion arrears dating back to 2017, and release of third-party deductions.
The union warned that failure to meet these demands would result in the resumption of the suspended strike, disrupting academic activities across the nation’s public universities.
