The Federal Ministry of Education has clarified that the last binding agreement between the Federal Government of Nigeria (FGN) and the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) was signed in 2009.
In a statement released on its official X (formerly Twitter) handle, the ministry explained that the clarification followed recent comments by the Minister of State for Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, during a media briefing in Abuja.
The ministry emphasized that although a draft agreement was prepared by the Nimi Briggs-led renegotiation committee set up in 2017, the Federal Government never signed it. It noted that Dr. Alausa’s comment about “no new signed agreement” referred specifically to the unsigned 2021 draft, which currently serves only as a framework for ongoing discussions.
Reaffirming its commitment to resolving the 16-year impasse with ASUU, the ministry assured Nigerians that the government is working towards a “sustainable and constitutionally backed” solution that will keep universities open for teaching and research.
It also urged the public to disregard misinterpretations of the minister’s remarks, stressing that the government remains committed to constructive engagement with ASUU.
