The Federal Government and the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) have signed a new agreement aimed at improving the quality of Nigeria’s university education system and ensuring long-term stability in the academic calendar.
The deal formally replaces the controversial 2009 FG–ASUU agreement, which had been at the centre of repeated industrial actions and prolonged strikes over unresolved issues.
The signing and official unveiling of the agreement took place on Wednesday at the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) Conference Hall in Maitama, Abuja.
The event was attended by key stakeholders in the education sector, including the Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, the Minister of State for Education, Professor Suwaiba Ahmad, and senior officials of the Federal Ministry of Education and ASUU.
Speaking at the ceremony, ASUU President, Professor Chris Piwuna, expressed cautious optimism about the new agreement, despite the union’s long history of mistrust with successive governments. He noted that previous agreements were often poorly implemented, leading to frequent strikes that disrupted academic activities nationwide.
“We are optimistic that the government will implement this agreement in totality, but pessimism still exists because of our history. We believe that Dr Tunji Alausa will be different, and that our union will not need to issue a strike threat before any part of this agreement is implemented,” Piwuna said.
He emphasised that ASUU remains open to dialogue and constructive engagement, stressing that industrial action has always been a last resort for the union when negotiations fail. According to him, the successful implementation of the new agreement would mark a significant departure from the cycle of the accords and disputes that have plagued Nigeria’s university system for over a decade.
In his remarks, the Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, described the agreement as a historic milestone and a decisive turning point for tertiary education in Nigeria. He said the new pact symbolises renewed trust between the government and university lecturers, as well as a shared commitment to restoring confidence in the public university system.
“This occasion represents far more than the presentation of a document. It symbolises renewed trust, restored confidence, and a decisive turning point in the history of Nigeria’s tertiary education system,” Alausa said.
The minister attributed the breakthrough to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s deliberate commitment to education reform and the provision of an uninterrupted academic calendar for students in tertiary institutions across the country. He assured stakeholders that the Federal Government remains committed to faithfully implementing the terms of the agreement.
Although specific details of the agreement were not immediately disclosed, stakeholders expect it to address long-standing issues related to lecturers’ welfare, funding, governance, and working conditions in Nigerian universities.
The signing of the agreement has raised hopes among students, parents, and education stakeholders that frequent strikes may finally become a thing of the past, paving the way for stability and improved academic standards across the nation’s universities.
