NLC Threatens Showdown as Tinubu Government Fails to Address ASUU’s Demands

 

The crisis rocking Nigeria’s education sector has deepened once again, as the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has threatened a major showdown with the Tinubu-led federal government over its continued neglect of the demands made by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU). This renewed warning comes amid rising tensions across the nation’s tertiary institutions, where lecturers have embarked on a two-week warning strike to press home their long-standing grievances.

In a strongly worded statement issued by NLC President, Comrade Joe Ajaero, the labour body accused the government of insincerity and deliberate non-compliance with previous agreements signed with ASUU. The statement, as reported by Sahara Reporters, expressed deep frustration at what the NLC described as the government’s consistent habit of entering into pacts it later abandons. Ajaero noted that the government’s approach to industrial relations in the education sector had become increasingly provocative, especially with the recent reintroduction of the “No Work, No Pay” policy targeting striking lecturers.

According to the NLC, the federal government has failed to address key issues such as revitalization funds for universities, payment of earned academic allowances, and the implementation of the University Transparency and Accountability Solution (UTAS), which ASUU has been championing as an alternative to the government’s Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS). The union insists that government agencies have continuously undermined university autonomy, eroding the integrity of the nation’s higher institutions.

Joe Ajaero stated that rather than resolving the root causes of the recurring university strikes, the Tinubu administration had chosen confrontation over dialogue. “The decision to penalize lecturers who are only demanding fair treatment shows insensitivity to the plight of Nigerian students and workers,” Ajaero said. He added that the government’s insistence on the “No Work, No Pay” policy was counterproductive and would only inflame the situation further.

The NLC, in solidarity with ASUU, declared that if the government fails to meet the lecturers’ demands by the end of the warning strike, the Congress will convene an emergency national meeting to deliberate on the next line of action, which could include a nationwide industrial protest. “An injury to one is an injury to all,” Ajaero emphasized, warning that organized labour would not fold its arms while public education collapses.

ASUU, for its part, maintains that its strike is not politically motivated but driven by necessity. According to the union, the federal government’s failure to implement agreements signed since 2009 has left Nigeria’s universities in a deplorable state. Many institutions struggle with dilapidated facilities, overcrowded classrooms, and unpaid research grants, all of which threaten the quality of education.

Dr. Emmanuel Osodeke, ASUU President, explained that the government’s nonchalant attitude has made industrial actions inevitable. “We are not on strike because we enjoy it,” he said, “but because we are pushed to the wall. Our demands are about saving public education from total decay.” He urged the federal government to see reason and engage in meaningful dialogue rather than intimidation.

Across Nigerian campuses, the ripple effect of the ongoing standoff is already being felt. Students, many of whom had just resumed for the new academic session, are once again stranded. Some have taken to social media to express frustration, blaming both the government and ASUU for their endless academic disruptions. Others fear that the situation could lead to a repeat of the prolonged eight-month strike of 2022, which caused massive academic dislocation and psychological distress.

Observers believe that the current administration’s handling of the matter will be a major test of President Tinubu’s commitment to labour relations and educational reform. While his government has emphasized fiscal discipline and revenue optimization, critics argue that such policies should not come at the expense of education, which remains the cornerstone of national development.

Economists have also warned that the recurring industrial crises in the education sector have long-term consequences on human capital development. Nigeria’s inability to maintain a stable academic calendar, they say, weakens the country’s competitiveness globally. Many parents who can afford it continue to send their children abroad, resulting in significant foreign exchange loss to the economy.

The NLC’s threat of a broader labour showdown underscores the fragility of industrial peace in the country. With inflation biting hard and workers demanding wage reviews, a confrontation between labour and government could worsen Nigeria’s socio-economic tension. Yet, the NLC insists it will not relent until justice is served for university workers.

As things stand, the ball remains in the government’s court. The next few days will determine whether the Tinubu administration will choose dialogue or confrontation. For many Nigerians, the hope is that reason prevails before the standoff spirals into another full-blown nationwide strike that could further cripple the already struggling education sector.

In the end, the recurring ASUU strikes and the NLC’s growing frustration highlight a deeper structural problem—one that goes beyond salaries or allowances. It is about the government’s consistent failure to prioritize education as a driver of national progress. Until that changes, Nigeria’s universities may continue to oscillate between closure and reopening, leaving a generation of students caught in the crossfire of neglect and political indifference.

Author: Luchiinter News Blog
Source: Adapted from Sahara Reporters, October 13, 2025