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From Adanna Nnamani, Abuja
The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) is currently holding a crucial meeting with leaders of unions in tertiary institutions in a bid to resolve the ongoing strike that has crippled academic activities across universities and other higher institutions.
The meeting, holding at the NLC headquarters in Abuja, has in attendance the leadership of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU), Colleges of Education Academic Staff Union (COEASU), Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP), and the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Polytechnics (SSANIP), among others.
The parley follows an invitation earlier sent by the labour centre to all tertiary institution unions nationwide to deliberate on the prolonged industrial crisis and forge a united front toward finding lasting solutions.
Nigeria’s higher education sector has suffered yet another wave of disruption following the declaration of an indefinite strike by ASUU. The union’s National President, Prof. Chris Piwuna, announced the action at a press conference at the University of Abuja over the weekend, after the expiration of a 14-day ultimatum issued to the Federal Government on September 28.
Piwuna said the strike became inevitable over the government’s failure to address key issues bordering on staff welfare, unpaid salary arrears, poor infrastructure, and the unfulfilled implementation of the 2009 ASUU-Federal Government agreement.
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Although Education Minister Dr. Tunji Alausa had announced the release of N50 billion for earned academic allowances and an additional N150 billion provision in the 2025 budget for university revitalisation, ASUU dismissed the offer as inadequate.
The union is demanding the full implementation of the 2009 agreement, payment of three and a half months of withheld salaries, sustainable funding for public universities, protection against victimisation, settlement of outstanding promotion arrears, and the release of withheld cooperative and union contributions.
The NLC has reaffirmed its solidarity with the striking unions, insisting that the government must honour collective agreements and respect workers’ rights. It also insisted that the principle of “No Pay, No Work” should not be selectively applied when the government defaults on its obligations.
Today’s emergency meeting is expected to define the next line of action for the unions and the labour centre, as stakeholders seek to protect the welfare of academic staff and restore stability to Nigeria’s public tertiary education system.
