Fatimah Otunsanya
The Kano Zone of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has expressed concern over what it described as the Federal Government’s lack of genuine commitment to resolving lingering issues affecting Nigerian academics, warning that another round of strike action may be imminent.
Recall that the union had threatened to embark on an infinite strike after the expiration of the one-month ultimatum, which elapses on 21 November 2025.
Speaking at a press conference in Kano on Monday, the Zonal Coordinator, Comrade Abdulkadir Muhammad, said the one-month ultimatum issued to the government to meet the union’s demands was about to lapse.
He warned that failure of the government to act could lead to a total shutdown of universities.
ASUU lamented the slow pace of renegotiation between ASUU and the government, lamenting that Nigerian lecturers are the least paid in Africa.
Muhammad recalled that ASUU had embarked on a two-week warning strike in October, which was suspended to allow for meaningful dialogue.
He, however, said despite the suspension, government officials had continued to employ tactics that undermine the process while misinforming the public.
The zonal coordinator noted that although some arrears of promotions and third-party deductions had been paid, they were grossly devalued by inflation and did not address the poor conditions of service that have fueled brain drain in the university system.
“The government’s offers will neither significantly improve the working conditions of Nigerian academics nor attract scholars from other countries,” Muhammad said, accusing officials of favouring propaganda over genuine efforts.
The union also faulted the proliferation of universities by politicians, describing them as constituency projects that erode the quality of education.
It urged the Federal Government to extend its recently announced seven-year moratorium on establishing new federal institutions to state universities, where governors often create schools without adequate funding.
ASUU then called on traditional rulers, religious leaders, civil society groups, trade unions, students, and parents to prevail on the government to meet its demands in order to avert another strike.