Nigeria State Universities: ASUU Strikes Over Non-Implementation of 2025 Agreement

• Strikes have re-emerged at several state-owned universities in Nigeria due to the non-implementation of the 2025 FGN-ASUU agreement.
• The Federal Government increased lecturers' salaries by 40% in January and implemented other provisions of the agreement for federal institutions, restoring stability.
• The 2025 FGN-ASUU agreement includes a 40% salary increase, annual credit allowances for professors (N1.8M) and academic readers (N840k-N870k), and enhanced pensions.
• States like Lagos, Ondo, and Taraba are experiencing or facing new ASUU strikes, while Kaduna and Plateau state universities have recently resolved theirs.
• This situation highlights a critique of Nigeria's federalism, questioning the federal government's role in negotiating agreements for state-owned institutions despite states having increased financial resources.

Lawyers advising state governments or state-owned universities in Nigeria should assess their compliance with the FGN-ASUU 2025 agreement to mitigate risks of industrial action, potential litigation from staff, or disruption to educational services.

Industrial action has resurfaced across several state-owned tertiary institutions in Nigeria, marking a stark contrast to the relative stability observed in most federal universities. This renewed wave of strikes, impacting states including Lagos, Plateau, Kaduna, Taraba, and Ondo, signals a return to the long-standing pattern of academic calendar disruptions that have historically plagued the nation's public university system.

At the heart of these disputes is the non-implementation of the December 2025 Federal Government-Academic Staff Union of Universities (FGN-ASUU) agreement by various state governments. In Lagos State, the home state of President Tinubu, ASUU chapters representing Lagos State University, Lagos State University of Science and Technology, and Lagos State University of Education recently initiated a strike. This action followed a breakdown in negotiations with the state government regarding the implementation of the 2025 FGN-ASUU agreement, despite a prior 14-day notice.

While some states have resolved their issues, others continue to face challenges. The ASUU chapter at Kaduna State University, Kakuri, for instance, concluded its strike after Governor Uba Sani authorized the agreement's implementation effective October 1. Similarly, the ASUU chapter at Plateau State University, Bokkos, ended its industrial action on September 16, following the state government's commitment to fulfill its six-point demands. However, lecturers across the three state-owned universities in Ondo State remain on strike due to the continued non-implementation of the FGN-ASUU pact. In Taraba State, the ASUU chapter at Taraba State University, Jalingo, issued a 14-day ultimatum on September 15, demanding the state government implement the agreement or face a strike, with the deadline set for September 28.

The 2025 FGN-ASUU agreement, a pivotal document in the ongoing Nigeria university funding dispute, outlines several key provisions aimed at improving the welfare of academic staff. These include a 40% increase in lecturers' salaries, annual credit allowances of N1.8 million for professors and between N840,000 and N870,000 for academic readers, alongside provisions for enhanced pensions. The Federal Government, which had been at the forefront of negotiations with the Academic Staff Union of Universities Nigeria, implemented these salary adjustments for federal institutions in January, a measure credited with restoring stability to those institutions.

This resurgence of strikes among state institutions occurs despite state governments reportedly possessing enhanced financial resources. Factors such as the removal of petrol subsidies, the flotation of the naira, and an expanded tax base, including Value Added Tax, have contributed to increased financial buoyancy for sub-national entities. Historically, public universities in Nigeria have grappled with persistent strikes, with President Bola Tinubu's administration having previously pledged to end these disruptions. The 2009 agreement, which earmarked N1.51 trillion for university revitalization and salary improvements, saw inadequate implementation prior to the current administration's efforts.

The ongoing non-implementation of the FGN-ASUU agreement by state governments carries significant implications for the quality and consistency of higher education in Nigeria. This historical instability has contributed to Nigerian universities' poor global standing, with the University of Ibadan ranking highest nationally at 1,291st worldwide, followed by the University of Lagos at 1,355th, and the University of Nigeria at 1,397th in the latest Webometrics ranking.

This situation highlights perceived inconsistencies within Nigeria's federal system, where the Federal Government took the lead in negotiating the comprehensive FGN-ASUU agreement and subsequently implemented its provisions. State governments, however, are delaying their own implementation, raising questions about federal influence over sub-national university funding and administration. Critics argue that such federal imposition on federating units, particularly in areas like education, represents an overreach of central power within a federal jurisdiction.

Lawyers advising state governments or state-owned universities in Nigeria should assess their compliance with the FGN-ASUU 2025 agreement to mitigate risks of industrial action, potential litigation from staff, or disruption to educational services. The current scenario underscores the urgent need for state governments to address these outstanding commitments to ensure academic continuity and uphold the welfare of their university staff.

Lawyers advising state governments or state-owned universities in Nigeria should assess their compliance with the FGN-ASUU 2025 agreement to mitigate risks of industrial action, potential litigation from staff, or disruption to educational services.

Source: Original reporting via Punch Editorial Board