The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has officially announced a two-week nationwide warning strike, instructing all its branches throughout the country to withdraw their services commencing at midnight on Monday, October 13, 2025.
A circular issued by the ASUU National Executive Council (NEC) and signed by its president, Professor Chris Riwuna, has confirmed this directive.
The statement articulated: "Fellow members of the Press, it is evident that there is no adequate measure in place to prevent the execution of ASUU-NEC's resolution to initiate a two-week warning strike following the expiration of the 14-day notice issued on September 28, 2025.
"Therefore, all branches of ASUU are hereby instructed to cease their operations effective from midnight (12:01 a.m.) on Monday, October 13, 2025. The warning strike shall be total and comprehensive in accordance with agreements reached during the recent NEC meeting."
This latest action follows the conclusion of a 14-day ultimatum that was previously issued to the Nigerian Government by the union.
The union is advocating for the implementation of agreements reached during earlier negotiations, which include demands related to earned academic allowances, revitalization funds for public universities, withheld salaries, and the Government’s failure to address lecturers’ welfare packages.
In a circular designated "Strike Bulletin No. 1," released on October 5, 2025, and signed by the union’s President, Riwuna, ASUU’s NEC stated that this decision was made following an evaluation of a referendum conducted across its branches.
The ultimatum was issued after a referendum within its branches and resolutions made at an emergency National Executive Council meeting held on September 29, 2025.
ASUU has accused the administration of Bola Tinubu of neglecting to implement critical agreements, including the renegotiation of the 2009 FGN-ASUU Agreement, the revitalization of public universities, the disbursement of earned academic allowances, and other welfare-related requests.
The union has expressed concern that, despite informing the Ministers of Labour and Education, as well as the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), there has been no substantive response from the government.
ASUU described the negotiation process as “tortuous” and excessively protracted over eight years, warning that the imminent action is intended to compel the government to sign and implement the renegotiated agreement and address the ongoing brain drain, commonly referred to as the “Japa syndrome,” which has been depleting universities of qualified lecturers.