The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has warned that all public universities across Nigeria will be shut indefinitely from Friday unless the Federal Government meets its long-standing demands.
In a brief statement posted on its official X account on Tuesday, the ASUU said it was left with “no alternative” after months of stalled negotiations over pay, welfare and broader reforms within the country’s higher-education system.
“All universities will be closed nationwide till further notice on Friday,” ASUU wrote, implying what could become one of the most disruptive industrial actions in recent years.
The planned shutdown comes after ASUU rejected the Federal Government’s latest offer of a 35 per cent salary increase, insisting that remuneration for lecturers has fallen far behind current economic realities.
ASUU has repeatedly argued that poor working conditions and inadequate funding are accelerating the departure of academic staff to institutions abroad, weakening the capacity of Nigeria’s universities.
The statement also follows the suspension of a two-week warning strike in October, which ASUU called off to allow further talks on revising the 2009 FGN–ASUU Agreement, a document central to its demands for improved funding, university autonomy and better staff welfare.
With Friday’s deadline looming, the Union says responsibility now lies squarely with the government to avert a nationwide closure of campuses.
As of press time, the Federal Ministry of Education had yet to issue a formal response.
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