We'll Resume full-blown Industrial Action Next Week

The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Owerri Zone, has warned that its members may resume a full industrial strike beginning November 21, 2025, if the Federal Government fails to address the issues that prompted their earlier warning strike.

The zone is made up of academic unions from Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University (COOU), Federal University of Technology Owerri (FUTO), Imo State University (IMSU), Michael Okpara University of Agriculture Umudike (MOUAU), and Nnamdi Azikiwe University (UNIZIK).

The notification was issued in a statement signed by the Zonal Coordinator, Prof. Dennis Aribodor, during a press briefing held at the ASUU–UNIZIK Secretariat in Awka.

“Time Is Running Out,” ASUU Warns

Prof. Aribodor explained that the press conference became necessary to alert the public and key stakeholders that the government has failed to utilize the one-month window granted by the union to resolve all outstanding issues.

He reminded the public that ASUU had earlier suspended its two-week warning strike on October 22, 2025, five days before its scheduled end, out of consideration for students, parents, the media, labour unions, and other Nigerians. The suspension came with a one-month grace period for the government to act.

However, with only a few days left, the union says nothing meaningful has changed.

Government’s Offer “An Insult,” Says ASUU

According to the Owerri Zone, the Federal Government has continued to treat education as a profit-driven venture instead of a vital sector needed for the nation’s stability and development.

The union rejected the government’s proposed salary structure, describing it as “embarrassing and incapable of motivating academics or addressing the persistent brain drain affecting universities.”

ASUU insisted that the poor conditions of service remain one of the biggest threats to the future of the Nigerian university system.

Concerns Over “Misrepresentation” and Partial Implementation

ASUU also accused government officials of undermining the renegotiation process through selective implementation of agreements and misleading claims.

The union cited the partial payment of promotion arrears dating back to 2017 and the release of withheld third-party deductions as mere distractions. It argued that these gestures do not address the major issues under negotiation.

The union warned that the government’s approach casts doubt on its sincerity and threatens the overall negotiation process.

“Funding Is Not the Problem—Political Will Is”

ASUU challenged the government’s frequent claims of lacking funds for education, pointing out that both state and federal revenues have significantly increased in recent years.

Data cited by the union shows:

States received ₦3.92 trillion in 2022, which rose to ₦5.81 trillion in 2024.
The Federal Government received ₦3.42 trillion in 2022, increasing to ₦4.65 trillion in 2024.

With these figures, ASUU insists the real issue is not economic hardship but the lack of political will to prioritize education.

The union also condemned the fact that lecturers have been on the same salary scale for over 16 years, despite inflation and repeated devaluation of the naira.

Call for Intervention and Final Demands

The Owerri Zone called on traditional rulers, religious leaders, civil society organizations, students, the media, and the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) to pressure the government into resolving the outstanding issues before the one-month deadline expires.

ASUU’s minimum demands include: