ASUU to Begin Two-Week Warning Strike October 13 as Talks with FG Collapse Again

Nigeria’s ivory towers may soon fall silent once more as the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has announced a two-week warning strike beginning October 13, 2025.

The decision, confirmed by ASUU President Dr. Chris Piwuna, follows what the union describes as yet another breakdown in negotiations with the Federal Government over the unresolved 2009 FGN-ASUU agreement.

At the heart of the conflict lie familiar grievances — unpaid allowances, poor university funding, and the long-delayed renegotiation of lecturers’ salaries and welfare packages.

Despite multiple meetings and committees, the union insists that the government’s latest gestures have been “deceptive and unproductive.” Dr. Piwuna told reporters that ASUU would not reverse its decision unless concrete action is taken immediately, saying the strike was the union’s “last resort after years of betrayal.”

The Federal Government recently reconstituted a new negotiation committee in a bid to avert the crisis, but sources within ASUU claim there has been no meaningful engagement or commitment to address their demands. “We have seen this movie before,” one senior member of the union said, referencing past government delays and unfulfilled promises that have become a recurring theme in Nigeria’s education sector.

This development has reignited fears among students and parents alike, with many recalling the devastating impact of the 2022 strike that lasted eight months — one of the longest in Nigeria’s history. That industrial action, according to UNESCO estimates, disrupted the education of over one million students and caused billions in economic losses.

The looming strike comes at a time when the nation’s universities are already struggling with dilapidated facilities, poor research funding, and mass lecturer exodus abroad. Education analysts warn that another halt could cripple academic calendars yet again, worsening graduate unemployment and public frustration.

As tensions rise, the streets and social media are abuzz with outrage, pleas, and divided opinions — some backing ASUU’s resolve, others condemning the endless cycle of strikes that have turned higher education into a national tragedy.

Whether the Federal Government steps in with decisive action before October 13 remains to be seen. But one thing is clear: if history is any guide, Nigeria’s university gates may once again swing shut — not from holidays, but from heartbreak.