The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has commenced a nationwide two-week warning strike starting Monday, October 13, 2025, following the Federal Government’s failure to meet its long-standing demands.

ASUU President, Prof. Chris Piwuna, announced the industrial action in Abuja after the expiration of a 14-day ultimatum issued on September 28. He said all union branches across the country had been directed to suspend academic activities immediately.

Piwuna explained that despite repeated engagements, the government failed to implement key aspects of agreements reached with the union, leaving lecturers with no choice but to act. He warned that if the issues remain unresolved at the end of the two weeks, ASUU would consider a full-scale, indefinite strike.

Among the issues highlighted by ASUU are the renegotiation and implementation of the 2009 ASUU-FGN Agreement, payment of withheld salaries, revitalisation funding for universities, payment of promotion arrears, wage adjustments, and the release of third-party deductions. The union also decried what it described as the government’s failure to adequately address the victimisation of some of its members.

In response, the Federal Ministry of Education reaffirmed that the “no work, no pay” policy remains in force and appealed to the lecturers to reconsider their action. The ministry maintained that the government had already taken steps to resolve several of the union’s demands, including setting up governing councils for federal universities to address pending issues at the institutional level.

ASUU, however, accused the government of playing for time, arguing that promises of dialogue often come only after industrial actions begin. The union insisted that the government’s approach to negotiations has been marked by delays and broken commitments.