The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Nsukka Zone, has accused the Federal Government of undermining Nigeria’s education sector by deliberately delaying the renegotiation of the 2009 ASUU/FGN Agreement, warning that the continued delay could trigger another nationwide university crisis.
Zonal Coordinator, Comrade Raphael Opata, who made the accusation during a briefing, said the government’s “lip service” to education, especially tertiary education, shows a lack of commitment to the nation’s future.
“The Federal Government is undermining the nation’s future through lip service to education. The slow pace and purposeful delays in concluding renegotiations pose serious risks for society,” he stated.
Opata faulted the Minister of Education for making contradictory statements about the existence of an agreement with ASUU, describing the remarks as evidence of inconsistency and bad faith.
He recalled that after ASUU’s emergency National Executive Council (NEC) meeting on October 21, 2025, the union suspended its warning strike to allow for further dialogue despite what it called “grossly insufficient offers.”
According to him, the one-month window granted to the government was an act of goodwill and a show of appreciation to students, parents, and stakeholders for their support. “It is now the government’s responsibility to use this opportunity and resolve all outstanding issues to avoid keeping our children out of school,” he warned.
ASUU expressed disappointment that the government’s new salary proposals were “far below expectations” and even lower than what was rejected in 2022. “The proposed increment is only a drop in the ocean. It cannot address brain drain or improve the welfare of Nigerian academics,” the union said.
The group also accused government officials of misrepresenting partial payments of arrears and third-party deductions as progress, describing such tactics as deceptive.
Citing figures from the Federation Accounts Allocation Committee (FAAC), ASUU noted that state allocations increased from ₦3.92 trillion in 2022 to ₦5.81 trillion in 2024, while federal allocations rose from ₦3.42 trillion to ₦4.65 trillion in the same period, insisting that the issue is not lack of funds but lack of political will.
“The government must stop treating education as a commercial good and recognize it as a social investment critical to national development,” the union stated.
ASUU urged traditional rulers, civil society groups, students, and labour unions to mount pressure on the government to conclude the renegotiation and ensure lecturers receive fair wages.
