The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has demanded its immediate removal from the Tertiary Institutions Staff Support Fund (TISSF), a loan scheme recently launched by the Federal Government for academic and non-academic staff in tertiary institutions. According to the union, its inclusion in the scheme was a deliberate attempt by the government to conscript it as a guarantor of loans it neither negotiated nor approved.
This position was made public through a communiqué issued at the end of ASUU’s National Executive Council (NEC) meeting held at Usmanu Danfodio University, Sokoto. The communiqué, signed by ASUU President, Professor Christopher Piwuna, strongly rejected what the union described as an underhand ploy by the Federal Government.
ASUU insisted that the loan initiative offered no real benefit to its members, who would prefer the immediate release of their withheld three-and-a-half months’ salaries. The union argued that financial relief would come more directly from payment of these arrears rather than loans that would burden members with long-term obligations.
In the communiqué, the union stated: “NEC resolved to reject the ploy to conscript ASUU as guarantor of loans the union knows nothing about and demands that ASUU be delisted from the process.” The union further called for the government to speed up the long-standing renegotiation of the FGN-ASUU agreement, which has dragged on despite the involvement of the Yayale Ahmed-led committee.
The TISSF, launched last week by the Minister of State for Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, is a zero percent interest loan programme designed to provide up to N10 million to staff of tertiary institutions. According to Alausa, applicants must have at least five years left before retirement and belong to recognised staff associations such as ASUU, SSANU, or NASU.
However, ASUU has accused the Federal Government of using the scheme as a distraction from its unfulfilled commitments to the union. “NEC calls on the government to fast-track the conclusion and implementation of the renegotiation of the FGN-ASUU agreement,” the communiqué emphasized. The union insists that meaningful reforms should focus on salaries, welfare, and funding for universities rather than loan packages.
In addition to rejecting the loan scheme, ASUU announced plans to mobilise nationwide protests across all branches. The union accused the Federal Government of foot-dragging on critical issues and warned that it would not hesitate to take to the streets if its demands continued to be ignored.
The communiqué explained that the protests would be coordinated simultaneously across different branches on a fixed date, which would soon be announced. It also noted that press conferences would be held alongside the demonstrations to ensure public awareness of ASUU’s grievances.
Among the unresolved disputes between ASUU and the government are the renegotiation of the 2009 FGN-ASUU agreement, improved conditions of service, adequate university funding, and the preservation of academic freedom and institutional autonomy. The union also demanded a comprehensive review of laws governing key education agencies such as the National Universities Commission (NUC) and the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB).
To strengthen transparency and accountability in the management of university finances, ASUU revealed plans to introduce the “Tertiary Institutions Transparency and Accountability Solution” (TITAS). This would serve as an upgraded alternative to the University Transparency and Accountability Solution (UTAS), which the union had previously developed as a substitute for the government’s Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS).
ASUU’s latest stance underscores the deepening rift between the union and the Federal Government, despite repeated promises of reform. For many university staff, the priority remains the payment of withheld salaries and a concrete commitment to addressing the union’s long-standing demands rather than new financial schemes.
With its threat of nationwide protests, ASUU has once again placed the future of Nigeria’s higher education sector at a crossroads. Whether the government will address these issues directly or continue to rely on temporary solutions like loan schemes will determine the trajectory of the next phase of the union’s struggle.
