The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) and the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) have joined forces to push for a permanent resolution to the recurring disruptions in Nigeria’s university academic calendar.
At a high-level meeting held on Monday at the NLC national headquarters in Abuja, both bodies agreed to present a united front in addressing the lingering crisis in tertiary education. The NLC, in a decisive move, issued a four-week ultimatum to the Federal Government to conclude negotiations with all academic and non-academic unions across higher institutions.
The meeting, convened by the NLC, brought together leaders of key unions including 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).
Discussions centered on the ongoing strike by university lecturers and other pressing concerns raised by workers across tertiary institutions nationwide. The unions collectively expressed frustration over the government’s prolonged delay in implementing agreements previously reached with them.
According to the NLC, the ultimatum is intended to compel the government to take concrete steps towards ending the cycle of strikes that have repeatedly disrupted academic activities and jeopardized students’ future.
“The time for half measures is over. We are giving the government four weeks to act decisively. The future of our education system is at stake,” a senior NLC official reportedly stated after the meeting.
Nigeria’s higher education system has suffered years of chronic instability, with frequent strikes by university staff unions leading to prolonged school closures and academic setbacks. The current industrial action by ASUU has once again forced universities across the country to shut down, leaving thousands of students stranded.
Union leaders at the meeting reaffirmed their commitment to finding a lasting solution but warned that failure by the government to meet their demands within the stipulated period could lead to nationwide industrial action.
The NLC and ASUU stressed that their collaboration marks a new phase in the fight for improved funding, better welfare for staff, and the restoration of stability in Nigeria’s tertiary education sector.
