By Gabriel Dike
The Congress of University Academics (CONUA) on Monday accused the Federal Government Renegotiation Committee of excluding the union from the ongoing renegotiation of the 2009 agreement.
In a statement signed by the National President of CONUA, Dr. Niyi Sunmonu, expressed concern and surprise at the recent circulation of a letter, dated April 4th, 2025, addressed to the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), indicating that the committee chaired by Alhaji Yayale Ahmed, has submitted its report on the renegotiation of the 2009 agreement without engaging the union.
He said: “This development is both surprising and disappointing, particularly because CONUA had earlier received a formal letter of invitation from the Minister of Education, dated 20 December 2024, directing the Committee to engage with the Union.
“However, up till the time of this release, CONUA has not been invited to make any submission or contribution to the renegotiation process. The union wonders how it was possible for a committee to jettison the mandate of a Minister who put the Committee in place in this important national assignment.”
Sunmonu made a passionate appeal to the Minister of Education, Dr. Olatunji Alausa, to urgently look into the exclusion of CONUA and correct this oversight, adding, “the continued exclusion of CONUA could erode the fragile stability currently enjoyed by the academic system and trigger avoidable discontent among staff.”
He disclosed that part of the potential backlash includes the disruption of the relatively smooth academic calendar that the Nigerian public university system has enjoyed over the past two years, a feat that has been made possible, in part, by CONUA’s principled stance on non-disruptive unionism.
“It is important to underscore that the 2009 agreement was entered into on behalf of all academic staff in Nigerian universities as at that time. With the current existence of three recognized academic unions, it is imperative that all stakeholders be carried along in matters relating to the welfare and conditions of service of their members.
“The exclusion of CONUA, a registered and legitimate union, from such a crucial process undermines principles of fairness, inclusiveness, and democratic engagement, as enshrined in the ILO convention and ratified by the Federal Government of Nigeria, within the university system,” Sunmonu stated.
According to him, the renegotiation of the 2009 agreement is not just about revisiting past commitments, but about shaping the future of academic labour relations, service conditions, and institutional stability in Nigeria’s higher education sector.
He observed that it is therefore inappropriate and untenable for one union to represent the interests of others in a plural union environment, as we currently operate in Nigeria.
CONUA president advised the Federal Government to take urgent steps to avoid a relapse into instability by ensuring that all duly registered academic unions are recognized and engaged on equal footing, starting from this ongoing policy processes that concern their welfare and working conditions, and going into the future.
Sunmonu added: “CONUA remains committed to constructive engagement, academic excellence, and sustainable reform in the Nigerian university system.’’