The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has urged the Federal Government to prioritise sustainable funding for public universities as the only lasting solution to the recurring industrial strikes in the education sector.
Appearing before the Senate Committee on Tertiary Institutions and TETFund at the National Assembly on Friday, ASUU President Professor Chris Piwuna said improved investment in education would enhance the global ranking of Nigerian universities and ensure stability in the system.
“We engaged the Federal Government for eight years without tangible results. The Yayale Ahmed Committee report, submitted in December 2024, was ignored until this industrial action began,” Piwuna said.
He explained that the union’s ongoing two-week warning strike was rooted in unresolved issues dating back to 2011, noting that the government’s neglect had left the sector underfunded and demoralised.
According to him, ASUU’s key demands — including improved conditions of service, revitalisation of public universities, sustainable funding, and academic autonomy — remain unchanged.
“Try us. Push government to fund universities adequately and you’ll see the end of strikes and the improvement of our universities in global rankings,” Piwuna told the lawmakers.
He revealed that although ₦150 billion was approved by the National Assembly for universities, only ₦50 billion had so far been released. Even that amount, he alleged, remains stuck at the Ministry of Education, where the minister intends to share it among universities, polytechnics, and colleges of education, despite separate allocations for those institutions.
Piwuna insisted that the ₦150 billion approved for universities must be used strictly for that purpose.
ASUU Cautions Wike Over University Land
The ASUU president also raised concerns about alleged plans by the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, to acquire part of the University of Abuja’s 10,000-hectare land.
“We are worried because the University of Abuja is located in the FCT. Anyone serious about higher education should be focused on developing it. If the minister wants land, he should look in the opposite direction,” ASUU stated.
The union appealed to the Senate to intervene and prevent any encroachment on the university’s property.
ASUU had on October 13 declared a two-week warning strike to protest the government’s failure to implement the renegotiated 2009 FGN-ASUU agreement, release withheld salaries, and adequately fund the revitalisation of public universities.
The Federal Government, however, maintains that it has met the union’s major demands and remains open to dialogue, while enforcing the “no work, no pay” policy on striking lecturers.
