The fate of students in public universities remains uncertain as the one-month ultimatum issued by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) to the Federal Government expires today, Friday, November 21, 2025.
The union has urged the government to act in good faith and urgently address all outstanding issues to avert a fresh crisis in the nation’s university system.
ASUU accused the government of misrepresenting its offers and selectively implementing agreements previously reached. It noted that partial payments of promotion arrears dating back to 2017, release of third-party deductions, and other overdue entitlements were being framed as major achievements, a move the union described as misleading and damaging to trust in the negotiation process.
The union’s National Executive Council (NEC) also expressed disappointment at what it described as the government’s continued failure to prioritise education, saying authorities appeared to treat the sector as a commercial commodity rather than a vital social good essential for sustainable national development.
Meanwhile, the Sokoto Zone of ASUU, at a press conference on Thursday, addressed by the Zonal Coordinator, Professor Abubakar Sabo, said the NEC was increasingly concerned about the government’s inconsistent approach to negotiations.
He warned that such behaviour could have serious consequences if not addressed.
Professor Sabo recalled that in October, ASUU held an emergency NEC meeting where it resolved to suspend an earlier two-week warning strike to provide a more conducive atmosphere for meaningful engagement.
“We decided to suspend the strike in recognition of the overwhelming support shown by students, NLC, and well-meaning and patriotic Nigerians.
“We expect that this opportunity will be used to secure a swift and comprehensive resolution, but to no avail”, Professor Sabo said.
Sabo further noted that state universities in the zone, which comprise 9 institutions, were facing serious problems for the actions or inactions of their governors and visitors, citing Shehu Shagari University of Education operating without a governing council and the SSU, which hitherto, contends with unpaid third-party and union deductions as well as outstanding promotion and Earned Academic Allowance (EAA) arrears.
While the union remained committed to constructive engagement to protect the future of the Nigerian higher education system, Professor Sabo also sought the engagement support of traditional rulers, community leaders, NLC, and civil society to call on the government to honour agreements, prioritise education, and provide lecturers with a living wage.
“We urge the government to act in good faith by resolving outstanding issues promptly to avert a renewed crisis in our public universities”, Sabo insisted.
