Full Industrial Action to Resume Nov 21 — ASUU

The leadership of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Owerri Zone, which includes Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University (COOU)...

The leadership of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Owerri Zone, which includes Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University (COOU), Igbariam; Federal University of Technology, Owerri (FUTO); Imo State University (IMSU), Owerri; Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike (MOUAU); and Nnamdi Azikiwe University (NAU), Awka, has stated that the union will have no choice but to initiate comprehensive industrial action starting 21 November 2025 if the Nigerian Federal Government does not meet their long-standing requests.

The statement was included in a press release authored by the regional coordinator, Prof. Dennis Aribodor, and distributed to media personnel at a press briefing conducted at the ASUU–Unizik gathering in Awka on Thursday.

As stated by Aribodor, "This press conference was required to inform all key players in the Nigerian university system, and indeed the general public, that there is little time left to avoid widespread industrial action in our public universities."

Please remember that ASUU, in consideration for students, parents, the media, the Nigeria Labour Congress, and other sincere Nigerians, reconsidered the ongoing two-week warning strike that was announced on 13 October 2025, and decided to halt the strike action on 22 October 2025, five days prior to the end of the two-week period. The union provided a one-month period for the government to address all concerns. Eight days before this one-month period concludes, where do we stand?

“ASUU Owerri Zone, unfortunately, has expressed deep concern over the government's ongoing failure to place education as a priority, viewing it as a commercial product that needs to be self-reliant rather than a social asset that promotes peace, growth, and national advancement. The Zone also examined the developments in the negotiation process since the suspension of the warning strike more than two weeks ago and dismissed the suggested salary increase, which we see as an affront to academic staff in Nigerian universities.”

The suggestion is unable to bring out the best in university instructors and cannot reverse the long-standing issue of brain drain that has severely affected our universities over many years. The aspects related to salaries and working conditions during the negotiation process continue to be a major concern, requiring a fundamental solution to halt the decline within the system.

To us in the ASUU Owerri Zone, government officials are undermining the negotiation process through subtle misrepresentation of proposals and selective enforcement of agreements, all for the sake of gaining cheap political advantages. The partial payment of promotion arrears that date back to 2017, along with the release of third-party deductions—parts of members’ salaries for many years—are only gestures meant to build trust and should not be seen as significant aspects of the negotiation. The way the government is implementing these actions does not accurately reflect the actual situation, and this approach poses a serious threat to the renegotiation, as it raises questions about the government's genuine intentions. The government’s goal should not be to dominate the narrative but to address the real issues at hand. That is the correct path forward.

The government is encouraged to make the most of the remaining days within the one-month period to find a comprehensive solution to the issues, especially aiming to increase the net income of academics in Nigeria. The best way to safeguard the future of our nation is by making sufficient investments in education. Education is a public asset. As the foundation of any society, education requires special focus in Nigeria due to the shortcomings in our educational infrastructure. Despite assertions about limited funds and economic challenges, data indicates a significant increase in the revenue of both federal and state governments.

For instance, in 2022, data from the Federal Accounts Allocation Committee showed that states received a total of ₦3.92 trillion, compared to ₦5.81 trillion in 2024, marking a rise of more than 62%. Likewise, the Federal Government obtained ₦3.42 trillion in 2022 and ₦4.65 trillion in 2024, an increase exceeding 70%. Political determination—or the absence of it—has been the key factor hindering the resolution of this renegotiation process, as the revenue data clearly indicates.

The Nigerian government should not be at ease with teachers receiving the same pay for 16 years despite ongoing currency devaluations and rising inflation.

ASUU Owerri Zone is therefore appealing to all relevant parties, such as traditional leaders, religious figures, students, the NLC, the media, and civil society, to pressure the government into taking the correct action and providing lecturers with a reasonable salary during the remaining days of the one-month period.

"ASUU Owerri Zone also demands full payment of all outstanding debts, including the 25–35% salary increase, three and a half months of withheld wages, promotion arrears, and third-party deductions. These are our basic requirements to prevent the restart of the suspended strike and to maintain peace within our universities," the union stated.

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