Tension Rises as ASUU Reviews 40% Offer to Stop Shutdown

Tension is rising in Nigeria’s education sector after the Federal Government tabled a 40 per cent salary increase for university lecturers in a renewed bid to avert another nationwide shutdown of public universities.
Highly placed sources told News Point Nigeria on Monday that the offer was presented to the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) ahead of a new negotiation round led by former SGF, Yayale Ahmed.
The proposal comes barely 24 hours after ASUU’s National Executive Council (NEC) meeting in Abuja, where branch chairmen agreed to return to the negotiation table and brief their members on the next steps.
A NEC member who spoke anonymously said the union welcomed dialogue but emphasised that no agreement had been reached.
“They proposed a 40% salary increment, but branch leaders still have to report back to their congresses. Negotiations continue next week,” the source confirmed.
ASUU’s one-month ultimatum expired on Saturday, triggering fears of another academic paralysis. The government quickly convened an emergency meeting with the union in Abuja on Monday, which spilled into Tuesday—held behind closed doors under strict confidentiality.
For over a decade, ASUU has accused the Federal Government of repeatedly ignoring its core demands: the renegotiation of the 2009 agreement, payment of withheld salaries and earned allowances, release of revitalisation funds and improved working conditions for lecturers.
But the Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, insists the government has already delivered on “virtually all” of ASUU’s expectations. Two weeks ago at the State House, he reiterated President Tinubu’s directive that public universities must not embark on another strike.
“The President has instructed that ASUU must not go on strike. We’ve met most of their demands and the six-day strike they embarked on was unnecessary,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has openly aligned with ASUU, warning that it will step in if the government fails to implement its promises.
With another negotiation session looming next week, stakeholders are watching closely: Will the 40% offer calm tensions—or set the stage for another showdown in Nigeria’s universities?