The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) has given the Federal Government and the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) a seven-day ultimatum to resolve their ongoing dispute and prevent another strike that could disrupt the nation’s academic calendar.
In a statement issued on Wednesday and signed by its president, Olushola Oladoja, NANS expressed concern over the growing tension between the government and ASUU, warning that any disruption to the academic calendar would be unacceptable to Nigerian students.
Oladoja noted that the education sector had enjoyed two uninterrupted academic years under President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Administration, describing it as a notable achievement since the return to democracy in 1999.
He, however, cautioned that the recent threat of industrial action by ASUU was jeopardising this progress. “It is in this spirit that NANS appeals to both ASUU and the Federal Government’s negotiation team to find a workable and lasting solution within the next seven days. Nigerian students, many of whom are now studying through educational loans, cannot afford to have their academic calendar disrupted or their duration on campus extended again,” he said.
The NANS president commended President Tinubu’s education reforms, highlighting initiatives such as the Nigerian Education Loan Fund, removal of tertiary institutions from the IPPIS platform, reversal of the 40% IGR remittance policy, and special TETFund interventions as signs of the administration’s commitment to education and student welfare.
Despite these efforts, Oladoja lamented that poor communication and delays in implementing agreements with ASUU had created unnecessary tension. “It is regrettable that despite the progress recorded, this strike threat—stemming from miscommunication and poor crisis management—has created avoidable tension that now threatens the peace and stability of the education sector,” he said.
Oladoja disclosed that NANS’ findings showed that an earlier meeting convened by the Federal Government to address ASUU’s grievances was not attended by the union due to procedural disagreements.
“We have received assurances from both parties that they are willing to attend the meeting once it is properly reconvened. NANS, therefore, calls on the government to immediately reconvene the meeting to bridge this communication gap,” he stated.
He further appealed to President Tinubu to personally intervene, warning that failure to act swiftly could undermine the goodwill and stability achieved in the education sector. “We strongly emphasise the need for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to personally intervene at this crucial time to prevent the gains recorded in the education sector under his Renewed Hope Administration from being eroded by another strike,” he said.
Oladoja added that while Nigerian students remain grateful for the government’s support, a prolonged standoff could reverse the progress made. “Now is the time for dialogue, understanding, and decisive action—the future of millions of Nigerian students depends on it,” he said.
ASUU had on Monday embarked on a warning strike following the expiration of a 14-day ultimatum to the Federal Government to meet its long-standing demands.
The lecturers’ demands include the implementation of the renegotiated 2009 ASUU-FGN Agreement, payment of withheld salaries and promotion arrears, revitalisation of public universities, and sustainable funding for tertiary education.
Other grievances include the payment of 25–35% salary arrears, settlement of four years’ promotion arrears, and release of withheld cooperative deductions.
The renegotiation of the 2009 agreement has remained unresolved since 2017 despite several committees set up by successive governments. The most recent committee, chaired by Yayale Ahmed, submitted its report in December 2024, but implementation has yet to begin.
In response to the ongoing strike, the Minister of Education, Tunji Alausa, reportedly directed university vice-chancellors to enforce the government’s “No Work, No Pay” policy against lecturers participating in the action—a directive that has sparked fresh outrage among university workers.
The strike has already disrupted ongoing examinations in several universities across the country, creating anxiety among students and parents.
