The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has expressed deep frustration over the Nigerian government's slow pace in renegotiating the 2009 agreement signed between both parties, raising concerns about the future of higher education in the country.
In a statement signed by ASUU National President Professor Chris Piwuna, the union revealed that renegotiation efforts led by the committee headed by Yayale Ahmed, Pro-Chancellor of Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, have stalled since December 2024, with no agreement signed five months later.
"The last push, which got frozen again after some recommendations by both parties were made for government's consideration and approval in December 2024, is yet to be concluded," the union stated.
History of Failed Negotiations
The Yayale Ahmed-led committee, inaugurated in October last year, is the fourth committee handling the renegotiation since 2017. Previous committees led by Wale Babalakin (2017-2020), Munzali Jibril (2021), and the late Nimi Briggs (2022) all produced draft agreements that the government failed to implement, resulting in industrial actions by the union in 2018, 2020, and 2022.
ASUU described the government's implementation of previous agreements as "discouraging" and noted that renegotiation efforts have "continued endlessly since 2017."
Key Demands Remain Unaddressed
The union listed several outstanding demands, including:
- Conclusion of the renegotiation of the 2009 agreement based on the Nimi Briggs Committee's Draft Agreement of 2021
- Release of withheld three-and-half months salaries from the 2022 strike action
- Release of unpaid salaries for staff on sabbatical, part-time, and adjunct appointments due to IPPIS implementation issues
- Release of outstanding third-party deductions such as check-off dues and cooperative contributions
- Funding for revitalization of public universities
- Payment of Earned Academic Allowances (EAA)
- End to the proliferation of universities by Federal and State Governments
- Adoption of University Transparency and Accountability Solution (UTAS) in place of IPPIS
Call for Public Support
The union has called on Nigerians to prevail on the government to address all outstanding issues agreed upon in previous engagements, noting that this would create a conducive atmosphere to address welfare issues of academics.
"ASUU remains open to discussion in this respect. However, the union would not continue to look helpless while the rights of its members are being trampled upon and washed away with reckless abandon," the statement concluded.
The ongoing impasse raises concerns about potential disruptions to the academic calendar if the government fails to address these longstanding issues.
