ASUU Stages Nationwide Campus Protests, Warns of Impending Strike

ASUU Stages Nationwide Campus Protests, Warns of Impending Strike.

On Tuesday, August 26, 2025, the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) led peaceful yet powerful protests across federal university campuses nationwide, demanding the government finally honour the long-overdue renegotiated 2009 agreement.

At institutions like the University of Ibadan (UI) and Emmanuel Alayande University of Education, Oyo, ASUU members, backed by the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), marched with placards reading “Preserve Those Who Lay the Golden Eggs” and “Sign the Agreement, Save Education.” Union leaders warned that if the government failed to act by the August 28 meeting, a nationwide strike could be imminent.

University of Uyo (UNIUYO): Exams Suspended, Campuses Shut

At the University of Uyo, the ASUU branch mobilized professors and senior lecturers in large numbers, marching through the main campus, annex, and probing Ikpa Road. The protest forced a shutdown of campuses and suspended all Computer-Based Test (CBT) exams scheduled for the day.

Branch Chair, Prof. Opeyemi Olajide, lamented that lecturers have endured over 16 years without salary adjustments, despite worsening economic realities. He decried delays in completing the renegotiated agreement, unpaid third-party deductions, and promotion arrears—issues that cannot be ignored.

ASUU-NAU: Marches, Placards, and Warnings in Awka

At Nnamdi Azikiwe University (NAU), Awka, lecturers led by Chair Innocent Nnubia and Prof. Dennis Aribodor took to major roads, demanding action from the government. Their placards called for:

• Conclusion and implementation of the 2009 renegotiated agreement
• Immediate payment of three-and-a-half months of withheld salaries
• Sustainable funding and revitalization of public universities
• Settlement of arrears from salary adjustments (25–35%) and promotions
• Release of third-party deductions

They warned that if their grievances remained unaddressed, the union would have no choice but to embark on an industrial action.

ASUU Leadership and NLC Mobilize Nationwide

The protests followed ASUU’s National Executive Council (NEC) meeting in mid-August, where union leaders decided on the nationwide protest for August 26. The union insisted that loans under the new Tertiary Institutions Staff Support Fund (TISSF) were no substitute for genuine compensation and implementation of agreements.

ASUU President Christopher Piwuna emphasized that if the government failed to deliver by the upcoming August 28 meeting, the union might be forced to initiate a full-scale industrial strike.

At the University of Abuja (UNIABUJA), lecturers braved the midday rain, carrying signs such as “Release third-party deductions to our unions and cooperatives” and “We demand a salary increase not loans.” The UNIABUJA chair, Sylvanus Ugo, framed the protests as a result of long frustration, not broken discipline—warning that patience was wearing thin and labeling it a matter of life and dignity.

ASUU is pushing for:

• Full implementation of the 2009 renegotiated agreemen
• Improved funding and working conditions
• University autonomy and infrastructure development
• Payment of withheld salaries, promotion arrears, and third-party deductions
• Dismantling reliance on loan schemes in favour of fair compensation

Conclusion & Outlook

The August 26 protest marks an escalation in ASUU’s campaign for longstanding demands, demonstrating widespread commitment across branches. With the August 28 deadline looming, the Federal Government’s next move could either avert another crippling strike or ignite a new cycle of academic disruption.