The ongoing two-week nationwide warning strike embarked upon by Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has been called off.
ASUU President, Prof. Christopher Piwuna, disclosed this on Wednesday in Abuja, saying the strike was suspended due acknowledge the intervention of key stakeholders and to allow the Federal Government time to meet its outstanding commitments to the union.
Piwuna revealed this as part of the outcome of the union’s National Executive Council (NEC) meeting, which ended in the early hours of the day.
He said the suspension was due to the “useful and encouraging engagements” with government officials, particularly after the intervention of the National Assembly leadership.
According to Piwuna, the union have the Federal Government a one-month window to conclude the renegotiation of the 2009 FGN/ASUU Agreement and address other unresolved issues affecting public universities.
He said “we’ve had useful engagements with representatives of the government to consider the response to the draft renegotiation of the 2009 agreements. We are definitely not where we were prior to the commencement of the strike.
“The union acknowledges that government has returned to the negotiation table. While noting that a lot more work still needs to be done, NEC came to the conclusion that the ongoing strike be reviewed.
“The decision to suspend the warning strike was also in appreciation of the efforts of our students, parents, the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), and other well-meaning Nigerians who intervened in the matter.”
ASUU which began the strike on October 13, 2025, is demanding p the conclusion of the renegotiated 2009 FGN-ASUU agreement, release of withheld three and a half months’ salaries, sustainable funding of public universities, revitalisation of public institutions, and an end to the alleged victimisation of lecturers in Lagos State University (LASU), Prince Abubakar Audu University, and the Federal University of Technology, Owerri (FUTO).
The Union’s other demands include the payment of outstanding 25–35% salary arrears, settlement of over four years of promotion arrears, and the release of withheld third-party deductions such as cooperative contributions.
Piwuna stressed that the decision to suspend the strike was not an end in itself but a demonstration of goodwill.
“We have decided to give the government this window to show sincerity and commitment to resolving all outstanding issues. We expect concrete results within the next one month,” he said.
According to Piwuna, ASUU remains committed to defending the integrity of the nation’s public universities and will not hesitate to resume industrial action if the government fails to act within the agreed timeframe.
