President Bola Tinubu has directed the Minister of Education, Dr. Olatunji Alausa, to immediately resolve the ongoing industrial dispute with the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), warning that he does not want another strike to disrupt academic activities across Nigerian universities.
Speaking with State House correspondents after meeting with the President at the Aso Rock Villa on Tuesday, Alausa disclosed that the government had met “literally all” of ASUU’s demands and was seeking additional executive approval to conclude negotiations.
“The President has mandated us that he doesn’t want ASUU to go on strike, and we’re doing everything humanly possible to ensure that students stay in school,” Alausa said.
“The last strike they went on for about six days was not really needed. We’ve met almost all their requirements and are now finalising discussions.”
According to the minister, his meeting with the President also focused on securing further concessions to strengthen education delivery and human capital development.
A Long History of Unrest
ASUU, Nigeria’s umbrella union for university lecturers, has long clashed with the Federal Government over salary arrears, funding shortfalls, the renegotiated 2009 FG–ASUU agreement, and the rollout of the University Transparency and Accountability Solution (UTAS) in place of the controversial IPPIS platform.
In October, the union embarked on a two-week warning strike, citing the government’s failure to honour existing agreements and revitalize the tertiary education system.
The minister, however, insisted that the Tinubu administration is taking a unified approach by consolidating all tertiary institution negotiations under a single committee headed by former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Yayale Ahmed.
“We’ve now expanded one single committee to handle both academic and non-academic unions. Everything is calm, and they understand that this is a listening government,” Alausa explained.
Transparency and Data-Driven Reforms
Alausa also announced the creation of a new Federal Tertiary Institution Governance and Transparency Portal, designed to track data on enrolment, budget allocations, intervention funds, and endowments.
He said the portal currently covers all federal universities, polytechnics, and colleges of education, with plans to include state and private institutions.
“We are running an evidence-based government. If you don’t have data, it’s like you’re flying blind,” he added.
No Ultimatum, No Crisis
Responding to reports that the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and joint tertiary unions had issued a four-week ultimatum to resolve the crisis, Alausa dismissed the claims.
“There is no ultimatum. I still spoke to the President of ASUP on Monday. Everything is calm, and they understand this is a listening government,” he said.
The minister reaffirmed that the administration is committed to resolving all outstanding issues in the education sector, ensuring that students complete their academic programmes without further interruptions.
