The Federal Government has begun the final phase of negotiations with the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) and other tertiary education unions, aiming to resolve lingering issues and prevent future strikes
According to Mediaplusng.com, the Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa announced the development on Wednesday in Abuja during a meeting of the Technical Working Group on Conditions of Service for ASUU. Alausa says the committee is finalising a counteroffer to present to the unions through the Allied General United Federal Government Tertiary Institutions Negotiations Committee.
He explains that the move aligns with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s directive to keep Nigerian students in school and prevent disruptions to the academic calendar. “The President has made it clear that our children must remain in school. The technical working group is finalising a component of the condition of service that will be proposed to ASUU. Hopefully, by tomorrow, the counteroffer will be ready,” he said.
Mediaplusng.com reports that the minister also highlighted the administration’s progress in addressing key issues affecting lecturers and other education workers. He noted that ₦50 billion in Earned Academic Allowances has already been released, while ₦150 billion has been included in the 2025 budget for needs assessment. The fund will be disbursed in three tranches, with the first ₦50 billion ready for release.
Dr. Alausa assured that other outstanding benefits, such as promotion arrears and wage awards, have been addressed, and all remaining areas will be cleared by 2026. He appealed to the unions to remain patient and committed to dialogue rather than resorting to industrial action.
“This government is sincere and committed to improving welfare within available resources. We have resolved many of the issues raised, and the final part, conditions of service, will soon be completed,” he added.
As Mediaplusng.com further gathered, the Solicitor General of the Federation and officials of the Ministry of Justice are now directly involved in the negotiation process to ensure that all agreements are legally binding and enforceable.
With this renewed effort, the federal government hopes to strengthen trust between both parties and ensure uninterrupted learning across Nigerian universities
