Government Implements No Work, No Pay Policy as ASUU Strikes

The federal government has announced it will enforce a no work, no pay policy following the commencement of a strike by university lecturers on Monday, 13 October 2025. The education minister confirmed that the government would be guided by existing labour legislation as academic activities grind to a halt across public universities.

Dr Tunji Alausa, the minister of education, issued the warning on Sunday evening, just hours before the Academic Staff Union of Universities commenced their two-week warning strike at midnight. The minister’s statement, released through the ministry’s press director, emphasised that whilst the government remains committed to dialogue, it must uphold accountability in the management of public resources.

The minister maintained that federal authorities have fulfilled the majority of the union’s demands, including the introduction of a substantial teaching allowance and significant improvements to the terms and conditions of employment for academic staff. He argued that the remaining unresolved matters fall within the remit of individual university governing councils, which have recently been reconstituted to handle such institutional concerns.

According to the minister, the government met its deadline for presenting proposals to the union as previously agreed. However, instead of continuing negotiations with the ministry, the lecturers opted to proceed with industrial action. Dr Alausa suggested that this decision does not demonstrate a spirit of cooperation or fairness, particularly towards students and the general public, given what he described as the government’s demonstrable commitment and tangible steps already taken.

The minister stressed that dialogue remains the most effective and sustainable approach to resolving disagreements. He stated that federal authorities remain open to engagement at any level to prevent unnecessary disruption in the education sector. However, he emphasised that the no work, no pay policy constitutes an established labour law of the country, and the government would be guided by this legislation should academic activities be disrupted in the nation’s universities.

Dr Alausa reassured students, parents, and the wider public that the government remains firmly committed to maintaining industrial harmony within the tertiary education system. He appealed to all academic unions to embrace partnership and dialogue rather than confrontation, in the collective interest of the nation’s higher education sector.

The minister further explained that whilst the government continues to demonstrate goodwill and flexibility, it cannot abdicate its responsibility to uphold fairness and accountability in the utilisation of public funds. He reiterated that the government’s education reform agenda is designed to enhance teaching and research conditions, promote institutional autonomy through strengthened university governance, and ensure that the academic community thrives in an environment characterised by mutual respect, productivity, and innovation.

The education minister reaffirmed the government’s commitment to working with all stakeholders to safeguard the academic calendar and prevent further disruption to the learning process. He urged the lecturers’ union to reconsider its position and return to the negotiating table in the best interests of students and the future of the country’s education system.

The government’s statement comes as the lecturers’ union accused federal authorities of insincerity and failing to address longstanding grievances. The union had issued a 14-day ultimatum on 28 September 2025, which expired without what they considered satisfactory resolution of their demands.

The striking lecturers are seeking finalisation of a renegotiated agreement from 2009 that has remained incomplete for nearly eight years, release of withheld salaries spanning three and a half months, and sustainable funding mechanisms for public universities. They are also demanding payment of outstanding salary and promotion arrears, as well as comprehensive revitalisation of the education sector.

The union rejected proposals presented by the government during an emergency meeting on 10 October 2025, describing them as inadequate and inconsistent with previously agreed terms. Union leadership stated that the documents contained significant distortions and represented a complete departure from earlier draft agreements.

The implementation of the no work, no pay policy means that participating lecturers will not receive salaries for the duration of their strike action. This measure has been employed in previous industrial disputes between the government and university staff unions, often resulting in financial hardship for striking workers whilst also serving as a deterrent to prolonged industrial action.

The current impasse represents another chapter in the protracted dispute between university lecturers and federal authorities over the state of higher education in the country. Previous strikes have resulted in prolonged disruptions to academic calendars, affecting millions of students and delaying graduation timelines.

The two-week warning strike is intended to serve as a preliminary measure. Union officials have indicated that if the government fails to address their concerns within this period, they may proceed to declare an indefinite strike, which would bring all academic activities in public universities to a complete standstill for an indeterminate period.

With students having only recently returned to campuses following previous disruptions, the latest industrial action threatens to derail academic programmes once again. The government’s enforcement of the no work, no pay policy adds another layer of complexity to the dispute, potentially hardening positions on both sides as each party seeks to demonstrate resolve.