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Tinubu Orders End to University Strikes, Says Minister of State for Education

Published by Akinwale Fakinlede on July 30th, 2025.

Tinubu Orders End to University Strikes, Says Minister of State for Education

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has issued a firm directive to prevent further industrial actions by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) and other tertiary education unions, according to Minister of State for Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa.

Speaking during an interview on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Tuesday, Alausa said the Tinubu administration is fully committed to fostering industrial harmony in the education sector.

“The President has directed that not again in this very country will ASUU or tertiary institution trade unions go on strike,” Alausa stated.

He noted that the federal government is engaging in continuous dialogue with key unions including ASUU, the Colleges of Education Academic Staff Union (COEASU), the Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions (NASU), and the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU).

According to the minister, past governments often failed to honor agreements with the unions, leading to repeated disruptions. He stressed that Tinubu’s administration is taking a different approach by actively meeting its obligations and building trust.

“There has to be a lot of relationship building. These unions are very reasonable people. What has been lacking is consistency from the government’s side. This administration is changing that,” he said.

Alausa also dismissed fears of an imminent strike in the nation’s higher education institutions, describing such reports as baseless. He reaffirmed the federal government’s commitment to proactive engagement and honoring agreements with union leaders.

On broader reforms in the education sector, the minister highlighted recent improvements, including Nigerian public universities beginning to appear in international academic rankings—an indicator, he said, of progress under the current administration.

His comments come in the wake of the announcement by the ASUU chapter of Yobe State University that it had called off its strike, which began on July 11, 2025, over unresolved issues with the state government.