The two-week warning strike declared by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) on Monday, October 13, 2025, has once again paralysed academic activities in public universities across Nigeria. Though ASUU has described the action as a “warning,” it remains, by every measure, a needless crisis. It is one that could easily have been avoided if the government had shown sincerity, commitment and political will in addressing the long-standing issues plaguing the university system.
At the core of the latest impasse is the Federal Government’s refusal to reopen dialogue with the union over the 2019 renegotiated agreement. Frustrated by years of official indifference and unfulfilled promises, ASUU leadership was left with no choice but to resort to industrial action. Unfortunately, this has become a familiar but regrettable measure intended to compel the government to take the plight of university teachers seriously.
It is indeed shameful that more than a decade after the 2009 agreement and several rounds of renegotiations, the same unresolved matters (earned academic allowances, withheld salaries, salary increments and implementation of agreed reforms) continue to fester. This endless cycle of broken promises exposes not only government’s lack of sincerity but also its poor prioritisation of education, a sector that should form the backbone of any nation’s development agenda.
University lecturers are not mere wage earners; they are intellectual guardians and nation-builders. They light up young minds, drive research, question the status quo and prepare future generations to lead. Therefore, when gengovernment neglects their welfare, it undermines the intellectual foundation upon which national progress rests. While universities in developed nations are recognised as engines of innovation and pillars of national growth, those in Nigeria have, sadly, been reduced to institutions of frustration and decay.
In a previous editorial, THE NIGERIA STANDARD had warned of this looming crisis when it stated:
“A government that neglects its universities is a government that mortgages its future. Therefore, we fully align with the demands of SSANU and NASU. Correct the unjust disbursement of earned allowances. Pay all withheld salaries and the 25/35 per cent increments. Resume and conclude the renegotiation of the 2009 agreements with all sincerity. Above all, show respect to the non-teaching staff who, alongside academics, keep Nigeria’s universities alive.”
Sadly, that timely warning went unheeded. The consequence is now painfully visible. The country is faced with another episode of academic paralysis, crushed student hopes and an ever-widening loss of confidence in the country’s educational system. Each strike action further distorts the academic calendar, weakens institutional credibility and drives more talented Nigerians abroad, thus exacerbating the already severe brain drain.
Certainly, Nigeria cannot afford another vicious cycle of disruption. If this administration is truly committed to progress, education must occupy a central place in its national priorities. Thus, President Bola Tinubu must take direct responsibility for resolving this crisis. The habit of leaving such crucial matters to complacent ministers has failed repeatedly. The responsibility now rests squarely on his shoulders.
History will not forgive any leader who allows the nation’s universities to collapse under the weight of neglect. The way forward is unmistakable: honour existing agreements, rebuild trust through sincere dialogue and treat education not as a recurrent expenditure, but as a vital investment in national survival.
Every day lost to strike action is a day stolen from Nigeria’s future. The government must act now—decisively, responsibly and with conscience.