President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has directed the Minister of Education, Hon. Olatunji Alausa, to take immediate steps to resolve the lingering industrial dispute with the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), stressing that his administration will not tolerate another disruption in the academic calendar of Nigerian universities.
Hon. Alausa disclosed this on Tuesday while addressing State House correspondents after a meeting with the President at the Aso Rock Presidential Villa, Abuja. He said the government had already met “literally all” of ASUU’s major demands and was now working to secure final approval for additional concessions from the President to ensure lasting peace in the university system.
“The President is very clear on this matter — he does not want to see Nigerian students sent home again because of strikes. We have made significant progress and addressed virtually all the issues raised by ASUU. What remains now is to tie up a few loose ends, and we are confident that the President will grant the necessary approvals,” Alausa stated.
The Minister further explained that the Tinubu administration has consolidated all ongoing negotiations with tertiary education unions into a single platform to improve coordination and efficiency. According to him, a new high-level committee chaired by former Head of Service, Mr. Yayale Ahmed, has been established to handle all discussions involving university, polytechnic, and college of education staff unions.
“This unified structure replaces the previous fragmented system where each union had its own separate negotiation committee,” Alausa noted. “We believe this new approach will ensure better policy alignment and faster resolution of disputes.”
He reaffirmed the government’s commitment to improving the welfare of lecturers and upgrading infrastructure across tertiary institutions, adding that Tinubu’s “Renewed Hope Agenda” places strong emphasis on education as a catalyst for national development.
ASUU has repeatedly warned of potential industrial action over unresolved issues, including unpaid earned allowances, revitalisation funds, and the implementation of the University Transparency and Accountability Solution (UTAS).
However, with the President’s latest directive, there are renewed hopes that the long-standing disagreements between the federal government and ASUU may finally be brought to an end — restoring stability to Nigeria’s public university system and ensuring uninterrupted academic activities nationwide.
