The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has announced the suspension of its two-week nationwide warning strike after what it described as “encouraging progress” in ongoing negotiations with the Federal Government over the long-standing 2009 agreement. The decision was reached after an emergency meeting of the union’s National Executive Council (NEC) held in Abuja on Tuesday night.
Speaking at a press briefing on Wednesday morning, ASUU National President, Prof. Christopher Piwuna, said the union decided to suspend the strike to give room for continued engagement and to demonstrate goodwill toward the negotiation process. According to him, the decision followed “useful engagements” with federal officials who, he said, had shown renewed commitment to resolving the issues that have crippled the university system for years.
Piwuna explained that the union’s action was not a sign of surrender but a tactical step to allow the government time to fulfill its pledges. “We have had constructive meetings and some measurable progress has been made. However, we are not under any illusion that all our demands have been met. This is a suspension, not a call-off,” he emphasized.
The 2009 ASUU–Federal Government agreement remains a major source of contention between the two parties. The pact covers issues such as improved lecturers’ welfare, funding for university revitalisation, academic autonomy, and the regular review of conditions of service. For years, ASUU has accused successive administrations of failing to honour or fully implement the terms of the agreement, leading to repeated strikes that have disrupted the academic calendar nationwide.
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Among ASUU’s key demands are the immediate conclusion and signing of the renegotiated 2009 agreement, payment of withheld salaries and promotion arrears, release of earned allowances, and proper funding for public universities. The union is also demanding the release of outstanding third-party deductions and an end to the victimisation of its members in certain institutions.
Sources close to the negotiation team disclosed that the government recently reconstituted its committee on university funding and has pledged to implement parts of the revitalisation fund before year-end. This development, according to ASUU insiders, was one of the major factors that influenced the union’s decision to suspend the warning strike.
The suspension is seen as a temporary relief for university students and parents across the country, many of whom had begun to worry about another prolonged disruption in the academic calendar. For now, lectures and other academic activities are expected to resume immediately across federal and state universities.
However, ASUU warned that the union will not hesitate to resume industrial action if the government reneges on its renewed commitments. Prof. Piwuna noted that the union will closely monitor compliance and reconvene its NEC within a month to review progress. “We have opened the window for dialogue, but we will not allow this to become another cycle of promises and delays,” he stated.
Education stakeholders have welcomed the development, calling it a sign of hope for the future of tertiary education in Nigeria. They, however, urged both parties to prioritize transparency and accountability to avoid yet another round of industrial unrest. For now, the academic community and students can breathe a sigh of relief, even as the nation watches to see if this truce marks the beginning of lasting stability in Nigeria’s university system.
