ASUU Warns FG: Education Neglect May Spark Fresh Crisis

The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Bauchi Zone, has expressed worry about what it sees as the Federal Government’s lack of commitment to solving ongoing problems in the country’s university system.

It warned that a nationwide strike could be coming if immediate actions are not taken.

At a press conference held at Plateau State University (PLASU) in Bokkos on Saturday, November 15, 2025, zonal coordinator Timothy Namo claimed the government has shown little interest in addressing important issues. This comes despite the union ending its two-week warning strike that started on October 13, 2025.

Namo stated that ASUU called off the strike on October 21 after an emergency meeting of the National Executive Council (NEC). During this meeting, the union recognized strong support from students, the media, labor unions, the National Assembly, and concerned citizens.

The suspension was intended to allow for meaningful talks and resolution.

‘No Significant Progress Made’

However, he voiced disappointment, saying, “Just a week before the four-week deadline given to the government runs out, nothing significant has been accomplished.”

He pointed out that the NEC meeting held from November 8 to 9 at Taraba State University rejected the government’s salary increase proposal, calling it “insignificant, far below what is needed to tackle the brain drain issue affecting the university system across Nigeria.”

He stressed that while some non-monetary elements of the renegotiation process have progressed, the key issues—salaries and working conditions—are still unresolved.

He also criticized what he described as a deliberate effort by some government officials to undermine negotiations.

“There is no solid evidence from the government’s responses so far to show that education is a priority in Nigeria or that the government genuinely wants to avert a crisis in the universities,” Namo remarked.

He condemned the partial payment of promotion arrears from 2017 and the release of third-party deductions as inadequate measures, arguing they do little to rebuild trust.

‘Absence of Political Will’

In contrast to the government’s claims of insufficient funding, ASUU highlighted financial allocations showing significant increases for both federal and state governments.

Namo noted that states received ₦3.92 trillion in 2022 and ₦5.81 trillion in 2024, while the Federal Government received ₦3.42 trillion in 2022 and ₦4.65 trillion in 2024, reflecting increases of over 62 percent and 70 percent, respectively.

“These figures show that the issue is not a lack of funds but rather a lack of political will and misplaced priorities that are causing education to decline in Nigeria,” he asserted.

The union called on traditional leaders, civil society organizations, student groups, the Nigeria Labour Congress, and the National Assembly to intervene to prevent another disruption in academic activities.

Namo also urged the government to make good use of the remaining days in the negotiation period, stating that the best way to secure the nation’s future is through substantial investment in education.

In October 2025, ASUU ended the two-week warning strike it began on October 13, 2025, after renewed commitments from the Federal Government and the National Assembly to address the union’s concerns.