President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has issued a firm directive to the Ministry of Education to ensure uninterrupted academic activities in Nigerian universities, mandating an end to recurring strikes by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU).
Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, disclosed this on Tuesday after a briefing with the President at the Presidential Villa, Abuja. He confirmed that the government is taking decisive steps to address lingering issues with university unions and prevent further disruptions.
“The President has mandated us that he doesn’t want ASUU to go on strike, and we’re doing everything humanly possible to ensure our students stay in school,” Alausa said, noting that the recent six-day strike was “not necessary.”
According to him, the Federal Government has met “almost all” demands made by the union and reopened negotiations to settle outstanding matters.
Alausa clarified that contrary to reports, there is no four-week ultimatum or heightened tension with academic unions. He explained that a unified Federal Government negotiating committee, chaired by Alhaji Yayale Ahmed, is now handling discussions with all tertiary unions, including ASUU, ASUP, and COEASU.
He emphasized the administration’s commitment to transparency and accountability in the education sector, pointing to the launch of the Federal Tertiary Institution Governance and Transparency Dashboard—an initiative requiring institutions to publicly report data on enrollment, budget, and funding.
“We are strengthening oversight and ensuring transparency so our institutions can return to global competitiveness,” the Minister stated.
Alausa also reaffirmed the government’s broader economic reforms—including subsidy removal and foreign exchange adjustments—adding that Nigeria recorded a GDP growth of 4.23% in the last quarter.
The Minister praised President Tinubu’s “commitment to human capital development,” saying the administration’s reforms and governance initiatives demonstrate renewed focus on strengthening education and national growth.
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