In what appears as a move to force the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) to end its ongoing warning strike, the Nigerian federal government has directed vice-chancellors of all federal universities to ensure full compliance with the “no work, no pay” labour law.
The directive was contained in a circular dated October 13, 2025, signed by the Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, and distributed to key education stakeholders, including the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, pro-chancellors of federal universities, the Accountant-General of the Federation, and the Executive Secretary of the National Universities Commission, NUC.
According to the circular, the government expressed disappointment over the union’s decision to embark on strike despite ongoing engagement efforts. The government warned that it would no longer condone disruptions to the academic calendar.
The circular noted that in line with existing labour regulations, any employee who fails to discharge official duties during a strike period will not be entitled to remuneration for that period.
The Minister also directed vice-chancellors to immediately conduct roll calls and physical headcounts of academic staff in their institutions.
They are to compile detailed reports identifying those present and performing their duties and those absent due to the strike. Salaries of staff who fail to work are to be withheld for the duration of the industrial action.
The Minister, however, clarified that members of the Congress of University Academics, CONUA and the National Association of Medical and Dental Academics, NAMDA, who were not participating in the strike should continue to receive their full entitlements.
This is as the ASUU president, Professor Chris Piwuna insists that no amount of threats can stop its members from fighting for their rights.
It would be recalled that after the protracted ASUU strike in 2022 which led to the withholding of some months of their salaries, the federal government, led by former Labour and Productivity Minister, Chris Ngige, registered two new unions out of ASUU, namely CONUA and NAMDA to supposedly weaken its power to shutdown public universities.
Meanwhile, the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has backed ASUU, as the two Trade Union Congress (TUC) affiliates of CONUA and NAMDA, get government’s commendation for remaining in the lecture halls.
The NLC has faulted the Federal Government’s implementation of “No work, No Pay” policy against striking ASUU members. In a statement, NLC President, Joe Ajaero, said that the ASUU warning strike is a “direct consequence” of the government’s refusal to honour collectively bargained agreements.
He said the government’s continued refusal to implement agreements voluntarily reached with lecturers and workers was undermining public tertiary institutions.
On Sunday, October 12, ASUU declared two-week warning strike, after several notices.
The union promised to transform the warning strike into a full blown strike, should the government fail to attend to its demands which include, payment of withheld salaries, disbursement of N50 billion earned academic allowances, renegotiation of the 2009 agreement, redress of victimised lecturers in some universities and lots more.
A visit to some campuses shows that the lecturers have complied with the directive from their national headquarters.
But, the Nigerian government, through the Education Minister, Dr. Tunji Alausa, insists that the federal government is meeting the demands of ASUU and other tertiary institutions-based unions.
