THE Federal Government (FG) and the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) will on Wednesday, January 14, formalise a new agreement aimed at improving Nigeria’s university system and ensuring stability.
The signing ceremony will take place at the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) Conference Hall in Maitama, Abuja, and will be presided over by the Minister of Education, Dr. Maruf Alausa, and the Minister of State for Education, Prof. Suwaiba Ahmad.
This development follows a recent 14‑day ultimatum by ASUU. The strike was eventually suspended after overnight talks between the FG and the union.
According to the Ministry of Education, the new agreement reflects the government’s commitment to constructive engagement with stakeholders and resolving industrial disputes through dialogue and cooperation.
It aligns with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, which recognises education as a driver of national development, human capital growth, and socio-economic transformation.
The agreement is expected to enhance industrial peace, create a more conducive academic environment, and reinforce confidence among students, university staff, and the public.
The formalisation will bring together senior government officials, ASUU representatives, heads of tertiary institutions, development partners, and media personnel.
The FG-ASUU dispute has long challenged Nigeria’s higher education sector, with recurrent disagreements over university funding, lecturers’ welfare, and the implementation of past agreements, including unresolved terms from a key 2009 accord.
ASUU has historically embarked on strikes to demand better funding, improved staff welfare, and full implementation of agreements.
The most recent major action occurred in October 2025 with a two-week nationwide strike, causing disruption to academic calendars, delayed graduations, and prompting some students to seek private or foreign institutions.