NLC Gives Federal Government Four Weeks to End ASUU Crisis
The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has issued a four-week ultimatum to the Federal Government to resolve all pending issues with unions in the country’s tertiary education sector, warning that failure to do so would trigger nationwide industrial action.
Speaking during an interactive session with labour correspondents in Abuja, NLC President Joe Ajaero expressed frustration over the government’s handling of the ongoing strike by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) and other academic unions. He condemned the government’s no-work-no-pay policy, describing it as a punitive measure against lecturers exercising their constitutional right to strike.
Ajaero said the NLC’s decision followed an earlier meeting with leaders of tertiary institution-based unions at the NLC headquarters. He explained that although discussions between the government and ASUU had resumed, the crisis in the education sector extended beyond the university system and required a comprehensive resolution.
According to him, “We have decided to give the Federal Government four weeks to conclude all negotiations in this sector. They have started talks with ASUU, but the problem goes beyond ASUU. If after four weeks this negotiation is not concluded, the organs of the NEC will meet and take a nationwide action involving all workers and unions.”
Ajaero also declared that the era of government signing agreements without implementation was over, insisting that the NLC would hold the government accountable for every unfulfilled promise. He criticised the no-work-no-pay policy, warning that the labour movement would now apply the reverse — “no pay, no work.”
He said, “You can’t benefit from an action you instigated. We have discovered that most of the strikes in this country are caused by the government’s failure to honour agreements.”
The NLC’s intervention comes amid worsening instability in Nigeria’s higher education system. The ASUU strike, announced by its National President Professor Chris Piwuna at the University of Abuja, has already led to the closure of universities nationwide. The union declared the strike after the expiration of a 14-day ultimatum issued to the government on September 28, citing unresolved issues such as salary arrears, withheld allowances, poor infrastructure, and non-implementation of the 2009 ASUU-FGN agreement.
The Minister of Education, Tunji Alausa, had earlier claimed that talks were in the final phase, stating that the government released ₦50 billion for earned academic allowances and included ₦150 billion in the 2025 budget for needs assessment. However, ASUU dismissed these efforts as insufficient and demanded full implementation of all previous agreements, release of withheld salaries, and improved funding for universities.
The NLC reaffirmed its full solidarity with ASUU and other tertiary education unions, calling on all union leaders to remain united in their fight for improved working conditions. It also urged the government to respect collective bargaining principles and prioritise the welfare of university workers to ensure the continuity of public tertiary education.
The emergency meeting convened by the NLC is expected to define the next phase of industrial action if the government fails to meet the set deadline. Labour leaders have warned that the planned nationwide strike will include all sectors if the ongoing crisis in universities remains unresolved.
