By Mahdi Waziri Isa
The Federal Government is set to hold a high-stakes meeting with the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) this week in a bid to resolve the long-standing dispute stemming from the unimplemented 2009 agreement.
The meeting, which will include the Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, and the Minister of Labour, aims to produce a concrete implementation plan and prevent another nationwide shutdown of public universities.
According to informed sources, the government is expected to present a counteroffer to ASUU, with the goal of translating years of negotiation into actionable commitments. Also in attendance will be representatives of the National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission (NSIWC) and the Solicitor-General, as both sides examine how to finally implement the renegotiated agreement that was submitted to the government in February 2025.
The urgency of the meeting comes as ASUU branches nationwide warn that their patience is exhausted. The Zonal Coordinator of ASUU Abuja Zone, Prof. Al-Amin Abdullahi, emphasized that the union expects the government to demonstrate seriousness by adopting the report without delay.
“The 2009 agreement remains the touchstone of the dispute,” he stated, referencing promises made under the late President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua for comprehensive university reforms, including sustained funding, institutional autonomy, and improved conditions for academics.
ASUU President Christopher Piwuna echoed these sentiments, noting that lecturers have made sacrifices and deserve their entitlements. “We’ve been on this for such a long time, and we have always demonstrated patience, understanding, and have adopted dialogue to try to address these issues,” Piwuna said during an appearance on Channels Television’s The Morning Brief. He expressed frustration with the government’s slow response, despite the union’s engagement with the Tinubu administration.