DANIEL DAUDA , Jos
The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has called on the Federal Government to sign the 2009 agreement reached with the Union to save Nigeria’s university system from its dwindling standard.
ASUU revealed that its National Executive Committee, NEC, national leadership and the entire Union members had given the administration of President Bola Tinubu two and a half years to address the issues contained in the 2009 agreement, but refused.
The Union said, “While we appreciate the over two years of no strike, our tanks are empty and we cannot continue this journey.
“We want to call on our members to come out en masse to participate in the rally across our campuses next week. This rally will be the first shot at government, and it will signal many other things to come. We reassure members that we will act without let or hindrance in addressing the challenges ahead.” ASUU reaffirmed.
Speaking to newsmen on Thursday at the ASUU secretariat, University of Jos, National President of the Union, Prof. Christopher Piwuna, disclosed that following their meeting of 16th and 17th August, 2025, NEC resolved to give the Federal Government time to address these issues and get back to them after their meeting of August 28.
“This meeting will inform the Union of further steps to address our demands and calm our membership after over two years of waiting. Well-meaning Nigerians (NIREC, NANS, Traditional Institutions and the National Assembly), should advise the government not to stampede us into any action.”
Piwuna said the government’s attempt to jettison the collective bargaining principle portends danger to the Nigerian university education, noting that re-negotiating the 2009 agreement since the submission of the Alh. Yayale Ahmed’s report in February 2025 it has remained on the shelf until our meeting of 11th August 2025.
On the issue of retirement benefits for professors and other university staff, ASUU president acknowledged that the union insists on the establishment of Pension Fund Administration (PFA) for the better welfare of members.
“The insistence of ASUU on the establishment of a university-based Pension Fund Administration (PFA) was part of efforts to guarantee the welfare of our members and other workers in the university system at retirement.
“However, our union, is not pleased with the level of commitment to the welfare of lecturers who retired since the commencement of the Contributory Pension Scheme (CPS), in 2024. Our retired colleagues continue to bear the brunt of government’s anti-people’s policies, manifesting in galloping inflation at 21.88% and rising cost of electricity, transportation, housing, communication, food and medication.
“We will no longer tolerate a situation where those who fought for the sustenance of the universities will be treated with such disdain. A situation where a senior academic who has served for over 40 years ends up with a monthly salary of N150,000 is unacceptable and cruel in the current economic realities.
“Our retired colleagues are battling chronic health conditions and caring for children they have trained beyond a university degree, but they remain unemployed. Our retired colleagues are taking care of their spouses, children and grandchildren, with a paltry amount as a pension. The government must reverse this ugly trend.”
The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has commended the Federal Government for placing a seven-year moratorium on the establishment of new public universities in Nigeria.
ASUU President, Prof. Christopher Piwuna, gave the commendation during a press conference on Thursday in Jos, describing the move as long overdue.
He said the decision would help address the proliferation of universities and allow for better funding and development of existing institutions
“While commending the Federal Government, this is a matter ASUU has long advocated.
“For over a decade, we’ve raised concerns about the establishment of mushroom universities with no development plans,” Piwuna said.
He lamented that ASUU’s previous appeals to halt the expansion had gone unheeded until now.
“We’ve watched universities become tools of political patronage. The moratorium is not only welcome but necessary,” he added.
Piwuna stated that Nigeria currently had 339 universities: 72 federal, 108 state, and 159 privately owned.
“On average, each state and the FCT have about nine universities. This number is outrageous,” he said, noting that more than 30 universities reportedly had zero admission subscriptions.
He warned that spreading limited resources across too many institutions was inefficient and detrimental to education quality.
ASUU also called on the National Universities Commission (NUC) to reconsider the recent approval of nine new private universities, arguing that unchecked expansion, public or private, undermined the system’s sustainability. (NAN)
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