The Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, has reaffirmed the Federal Government’s determination to put a permanent end to industrial actions by academic unions in Nigeria’s tertiary institutions.
Speaking during an interview on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Tuesday, Alausa said President Bola Tinubu has given a firm directive to his cabinet to ensure that unions like the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) and other tertiary education trade unions do not embark on further strikes.
“The President has directed that not again in this country will ASUU, or tertiary institution trade unions go on strike,” Alausa emphasized.
The minister highlighted that President Tinubu’s administration is prioritizing consistent dialogue and relationship-building with unions—marking a significant shift from past government approaches. He stressed that, “It is just not promising, there has to be a lot of relationship building. Beyond that, the government is meeting its obligation with these unions.”
Alausa also dismissed speculations about any impending strikes in tertiary institutions. He assured that the Federal Government is proactively fulfilling its commitments to all academic-related unions, including the Colleges of Education Academic Staff Union (COEASU), Non-Academic Staff Union (NASU), and the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU).
His remarks follow closely on the heels of the ASUU chapter at Yobe State University calling off its strike, which commenced on July 11, 2025. The union’s branch chairman, Ahmed Karage, revealed that the decision came after an MoU was signed with the Yobe State Government to resolve their outstanding issues.
“Following the MoU, the president of ASUU has granted approval to call off the strike action,” Karage said, urging members to resume academic activities immediately.
Dr. Alausa further noted that the Federal Government’s ongoing reforms are beginning to show promising results, with several public universities in Nigeria gaining recognition in recent global rankings.
What You Should Know
President Tinubu’s administration has pledged to permanently end strikes in Nigerian universities and other higher institutions.
Education Minister Dr. Tunji Alausa said consistent dialogue, trust-building, and meeting union obligations are central to this strategy. He also denied any threats of an upcoming strike.
His assurance follows the resolution of a local ASUU strike in Yobe State, as federal reforms continue to improve Nigeria’s global academic standing.
