ASUU Strike Threat Raises Fresh Fears Over Students’ Right to Quality Education
The ASUU strike threat and students’ education have once again come into focus as the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) warned that continued failure by some state governments to implement the 2025 Federal Government-ASUU agreement could disrupt learning for thousands of students in Lagos, Gombe and Plateau states.
The union on Thursday accused the affected state governments of neglecting lecturers’ welfare, warning that unresolved issues could lead to fresh industrial action in Lagos State University (LASU), Lagos State University of Education (LASUED), Lagos State University of Science and Technology (LASUSTECH), Gombe State University and Plateau State University.
Speaking at separate press conferences in Ikorodu and Gombe, ASUU leaders said six months after the agreement took effect on January 1, 2026, several state governments had yet to implement key provisions, including a 40 per cent salary increase and the Consolidated Academic Tools Allowance for lecturers.
The union argued that prolonged delays not only affect academic staff but also threaten students’ constitutional right to uninterrupted, quality education. Frequent strikes have historically disrupted academic calendars, delayed graduations and placed emotional, financial and psychological burdens on students and their families.
ASUU Lagos Zonal Coordinator, Adesola Nassir, warned that declining staff morale in state-owned universities could reduce teaching quality and eventually force institutions into avoidable shutdowns. He urged Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu to intervene before the situation escalates into another education crisis.
Similarly, the union’s Bauchi Zone accused the governments of Gombe and Plateau states of failing to honour the agreement, describing both universities as major flashpoints in the implementation dispute.
The ASUU strike threat and students’ education remain closely linked, as education advocates continue to stress that every disruption to academic activities undermines students’ learning, development and future opportunities. ASUU urged the affected governors to implement the agreement without further delay to safeguard university education and prevent another round of prolonged strikes.
