The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has officially announced the suspension of its ongoing two-week warning strike. The decision was disclosed by the National President of the Union, Professor Chris Piwuna, during a press briefing held in Abuja on Wednesday.
According to Professor Piwuna, the resolution followed a meeting of the National Executive Council (NEC), which began on Tuesday night and ended at about 4:00 a.m. on Wednesday. The meeting reviewed the government’s response to ASUU’s demands and assessed the progress made since the commencement of the strike.
Piwuna explained that the union had earlier embarked on the warning strike due to the government’s failure to meet several outstanding demands within the agreed timeframe. He, however, acknowledged that recent engagements with government representatives had yielded some positive steps, though not yet sufficient to address all concerns raised by the union.
“We’ve had useful engagements with representatives of the government to consider their response to the draft renegotiation of the 2009 agreements,” Piwuna said. “However, we are definitely not where we were prior to the commencement of the strike.”
He further disclosed that the union appreciated the federal government’s return to the negotiation table. While stressing that much still needed to be done, he said the National Executive Council took note of efforts made by students, parents, and the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) in urging dialogue and peaceful resolution.
“The union acknowledged that the government returned to the negotiation table. While noting that a lot more work is still required, NEC came to the conclusion that the ongoing strike should be reviewed,” he said. “Consequently, NEC resolved to suspend the warning strike to reciprocate the efforts of well-meaning Nigerians.”
It will be recalled that ASUU had declared the two-week total and comprehensive warning strike on Monday, October 13, to press for action on a number of pending issues between the union and the federal government. The strike had affected academic activities across several public universities nationwide.
ASUU’s key demands include the conclusion of the renegotiated 2009 FGN–ASUU Agreement, which covers conditions of service and university autonomy. The union also wants the release of withheld salaries spanning three and a half months, sustainable and improved funding for public universities, and the revitalisation of facilities in tertiary institutions.
In addition, the union is demanding an end to what it termed “the victimisation of lecturers” in some universities, including Lagos State University (LASU), Prince Abubakar Audu University, and the Federal University of Technology, Owerri (FUTO). ASUU maintains that these cases represent continued disregard for academic freedom and workers’ rights.
Other major demands include the payment of outstanding 25–35 percent salary arrears, the settlement of promotion arrears accumulated over four years, and the release of withheld third-party deductions such as cooperative contributions and union check-off dues.
Professor Piwuna emphasized that while ASUU remains committed to dialogue, it expects the government to act swiftly on these issues to avoid further disruption to the academic calendar. He reiterated that the suspension of the strike was not an end but a gesture of goodwill to encourage continued negotiation.
He also commended Nigerian students and parents for their patience and understanding during the period of the industrial action, urging them to remain hopeful as the union continues to advocate for better conditions in the university system.
The ASUU president assured that the union’s leadership would keep close watch on the federal government’s response in the coming days. Should the authorities fail to honor their commitments, he warned, the union might be compelled to reconvene and take further action in defense of university education in Nigeria.
With this suspension, academic activities are expected to resume immediately across campuses nationwide, though stakeholders remain cautious and hopeful that both parties will sustain dialogue to prevent future disruptions in the sector.
