ASUU Gears Up for Two-Week Walkout Starting 13 October

University teachers across the country are preparing to halt work for two weeks from Monday, 13 October 2025, in a bid to force the government to meet long-standing requests, unless officials step in at the last moment.

Branch leaders received a notice labelled “Strike Bulletin One” on Monday, outlining the plan to kick off the action if demands remain unmet. The move stems from a fresh deadline set just over a week ago, giving officials 14 days to tackle key concerns, such as approving and putting into effect a revised deal from 2009 between the lecturers’ group and the authorities.

The head of the lecturers’ national body, Professor Chris Piwuna, expressed deep frustration in the notice over the lack of any solid reply from decision-makers, even after the countdown began. He recalled how top union officials, during an urgent gathering on 28 September 2025, looked over feedback from votes taken at local levels and decided on the short notice to sort out matters in a document sent to the top brass back in February.

Union bosses agreed that if nothing worthwhile happens by the end of that period, the group would launch the brief shutdown to highlight the delays. They passed word of this straight away to the labour minister, the education minister, and the main workers’ umbrella organisation. Yet seven days later, nothing of note has surfaced to ease the pressure.

Piwuna praised colleagues for their steady resolve amid what he called a drawn-out and tough bargaining process that has stretched beyond eight years. He stressed that the main aim now is to push officials into endorsing and rolling out the updated pact, alongside other pressing needs. With the deadline’s final stretch looming, he called on every member to rally together, leaving no one behind in the fight for better pay, curbing the exodus of skilled workers abroad, and lifting higher education to match worldwide standards.

He reminded everyone that strength lies in joint efforts, not in mere complaints, and that the group has always stood as one in past pushes—this time will be no exception. To keep things smooth, he directed that guidance should come solely through local heads, with members checking in with them, regional leads, or regular meetings if unsure.

A voice for the education ministry said details on any official reply would come as soon as they surface.

The call for action grew from a key union session on 28 September 2025 at the University of Abuja, where members spelled out a list of hold-ups that have lingered for months. These cover fresh talks on the 2009 pact, steady cash for upgrading campuses, easing harsh treatment of staff at certain state-run schools, clearing unpaid raises of 25 to 35 per cent, sorting out stalled advancements for over four years, and fixing withheld cuts from outside sources.

Group spokespeople feel that leaders have the means to head off the upcoming halt in classes.

In a related push, the nationwide body for university technical workers on Monday handed down its own 14-day notice to the government for failing to act on agreed steps. Their top council wrapped up a review on 4 October 2025 at the Federal University in Lafia, voicing anger at the education ministry under Dr Tunji Alausa for skipping talks on ongoing troubles.

They weighed up gains from a peacemaking session on 30 July 2025 that sealed a pact, plus another on 11 September 2025. Top worries include wrapping up a redo of the 2009 deal with the authorities, which only saw a kickoff chat on 10 December 2024—now a full report has landed without full input from the workers.

Further gripes hit at not folding extra pay into regular wages to stop building debts, the hold-up on orders for higher pay scales to let staff hit top levels, and recent lags in monthly cheques that bite hard in tough times. Because of this, they set the short fuse, staying open to chats but ready to down tools if nothing shifts in time.

The technical group had before sought blending of perks into base pay, freeing up 50 billion naira for backlogged extras, finishing the 2009 redo, adjusting for the latest lowest wage, handing over 3.5 months of held pay, releasing outside cuts from recent payouts, and clearing seven months and eleven months of hazard and duty bonuses.