Nigeria’s tertiary education sector is once again under the spotlight as the Bola Tinubu administration faces its first major test. The Academic Staff Union of Universities has declared a two week warning strike, shutting down academic activities across public institutions and putting President Tinubu’s earlier promise that there would be no ASUU strike under his leadership to the test.
When he assumed office in May 2023, President Tinubu assured Nigerians that the era of repeated university strikes was over. That assurance now faces its toughest challenge. The government’s recent invocation of a “no work no pay” policy against striking lecturers has further inflamed tensions, which ASUU describes as a declaration of war. The administration must act swiftly and wisely to prevent a complete breakdown in the already strained relationship between lecturers and the government.
For many, dialogue remains the only sustainable path forward. ASUU insists that its decision to go on strike came only after exhausting every possible avenue for engagement. The union maintains that the Federal Government has been slow in addressing its longstanding demands, many of which stem from the 2009 agreement to revitalise public universities with N1.2 trillion, an agreement that successive administrations have repeatedly violated.
Education Minister Tunji Alausa recently stated that the government had begun implementing measures to meet ASUU’s demands. According to him, N50 billion has been released for Earned Academic Allowances, while N150 billion has been included in the 2025 budget to address infrastructure needs. He also said that a new negotiation committee led by Yayale Ahmed had been reconstituted to engage all academic and non academic unions in tertiary institutions.
Yet ASUU remains unimpressed, saying the government’s intervention came too late. ASUU President Chris Piwuna explained that the union had given the government ample time to act. “They asked for three weeks, and we agreed,” he said. “But nothing was done until the time expired. Only two working days before the strike began did they reach out to us.”
The situation exposes a deeper problem that has plagued the Nigerian university system for decades. Since the 2009 agreement, every administration has failed to honour its commitment to release N220 billion annually to the universities. Instead of revitalising existing institutions, new universities, polytechnics, and colleges of education have continued to spring up, many lacking proper funding and infrastructure.
As of 2024, Nigeria has 274 universities, up from 170 in 2009. However, quantity has not translated into quality. Chronic underfunding, poor working conditions, and stagnant salaries have made teaching in Nigerian universities unattractive. Former Vice Chancellor of Obafemi Awolowo University, Wande Abimbola, once lamented that a gardener in the United States earns more than a Nigerian professor.
This dismal situation has accelerated the brain drain. Former University of Lagos Vice Chancellor, Oluwatoyin Ogundipe, revealed that 239 first class graduates employed by the institution left within six years due to poor pay. ASUU reports that over 300 professors have resigned in the past nine months, many relocating abroad for better opportunities.
Instead of strengthening the TETFund, an initiative that has supported infrastructure in tertiary institutions, the government now plans to replace it with NELFUND, a student loan scheme that benefits only a small number of students. Such policy choices risk worsening the system’s decline.
The consequences of recurring strikes are devastating. They derail academic calendars, lower educational standards, harm students’ mental health, and impose financial strain on parents. The persistent underfunding of education, barely 3 to 7 per cent of the federal budget, far below the 20 to 25 per cent recommended by UNICEF, underscores the government’s misplaced priorities.
While the government claims limited resources, its recent expenditures tell another story. Billions have been spent on nonessential projects, from renovating official residences to purchasing luxury vehicles, while universities remain underfunded and staff morale sinks.
If the Tinubu administration truly intends to leave a lasting legacy, it must reposition education as a national priority. Meeting ASUU’s demands through a supplementary budget would demonstrate both leadership and sincerity. The National Assembly must also stop treating tertiary education as a political token or constituency gesture.
Nigeria cannot afford another cycle of disruption. With its vast youth population, the country’s future depends on a well funded, stable, and globally competitive university system. President Tinubu’s pledge to prevent strikes was not just a political statement; it was a promise to restore dignity to education and hope to a generation.
Fulfilling that promise would not only end years of distrust between government and academia but also stand as one of the defining achievements of his presidency.
