Speaking on Channels Television’s The Morning Brief on Monday, the Minister of State for Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, said there is “no justification whatsoever” for the industrial action, as the Tinubu-led administration has addressed all pending issues raised by ASUU.
“We have addressed every single request by ASUU. There is no need for this strike, and we are pleading with them to go back to school,” Alausa stated.
ASUU had on Sunday declared a two-week total and comprehensive warning strike across all public universities in Nigeria, citing the Federal Government’s failure to fulfill previous agreements. The union’s National President, Prof. Chris Piwuna, announced the decision at a press briefing in Abuja, directing all ASUU branches to withdraw their services from midnight on Monday, October 13, 2025.
“There is nothing sufficient on the ground to stop the implementation of the ASUU-NEC’s resolution to embark on a two-week warning strike,” Piwuna said.
However, Alausa dismissed claims that the government has been slow or unresponsive, emphasizing that “literally all ASUU’s demands have been met.”
According to him, the Federal Government has paid ₦50 billion in earned academic allowances and allocated ₦683 billion in the 2025 budget to rehabilitate hostels, lecture theatres, laboratories, and workshops across federal tertiary institutions.
The minister also revealed that funds have been mobilized for medical schools, academic staff training, and student support programs through NERF and other initiatives.
Alausa further accused ASUU leadership of delaying the disbursement of the needs-assessment fund by insisting that the entire first tranche be paid exclusively to universities, excluding polytechnics and colleges of education.
“It is ASUU that is holding those disbursements,” he said.
On other outstanding matters like promotion arrears and third-party deductions, the minister said most issues have been resolved, while some fall under the jurisdiction of individual universities.
He maintained that the three and a half months’ withheld salaries from the last prolonged strike would not be paid in full, as previous agreements only covered partial payments.
Alausa appealed to students, parents, and the union to prioritize academic stability.
“Let me reassure our students and parents that the Federal Government will do everything humanly possible to keep our children in school. There’s no need for this strike,” he concluded.
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