The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has suspended its two-week warning strike, which began on October 13, 2025, following renewed assurances from the Federal Government and the National Assembly to address its long-standing demands.
ASUU President, Professor Chris Piwuna, announced the suspension on Wednesday during a press briefing in Abuja. He said the decision was taken after productive engagements with the Yayale Ahmed-led committee and Deputy Senate President, Jibrin Barau, who have pledged to intervene in the dispute.
“The union has decided to suspend the ongoing two-week warning strike based on the renewed commitment of the government and the National Assembly to address our concerns,” Piwuna said.
However, ASUU warned that the suspension would last only one month, urging the government to use the period to fulfil its promises. The union’s demands include the review of the 2009 ASUU-Federal Government Agreement, payment of outstanding salaries and earned academic allowances, and the release of revitalisation funds for universities.
Piwuna cautioned that the union would resume the strike without further notice if no tangible progress was recorded within the given timeframe.
ASUU had declared the strike on October 12 after the expiration of a 14-day ultimatum issued to the Federal Government over unfulfilled agreements and poor working conditions in universities.
Following the strike declaration, the government criticized the union’s action and directed universities to enforce the “No Work, No Pay” policy, instructing vice-chancellors to conduct roll calls and submit attendance reports of academic staff.
Meanwhile, the Senate has waded into the dispute. The Chairman of the Senate Committee on Tertiary Institutions and TETFund, Senator Aliyu Dandutse, disclosed that the upper chamber would initiate talks among ASUU, the Ministry of Education, and the National Universities Commission (NUC) to find a lasting solution.
Dandutse also revealed that the Senate plans to meet with the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, to resolve the dispute over the University of Abuja land, one of the issues raised by the union.
With the temporary suspension of the strike, university activities are expected to resume nationwide, pending the outcome of the one-month negotiation window.
