Lecturers Teaching on Empty Stomachs, ASUU Warns of Imminent Strike

The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has accused the Federal Government of neglecting lecturers’ welfare, saying many now teach students on empty stomachs. The union warned that a fresh strike may be unavoidable if long-standing agreements remain unimplemented.

In a statement signed on Saturday by its National President, Prof. Chris Piwuna, ASUU said it had been “pushed to the wall” and urged the government to take urgent action to avert a shutdown of public universities.

The union reacted to recent comments by Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, who assured that strikes by tertiary institutions would “never happen again” in Nigeria, citing dialogue and cordial relations with union leaders. While ASUU said it welcomed dialogue, it stressed that the government must match words with concrete actions on unresolved issues.

“Lecturers in Nigerian public universities are, to put it mildly, not happy. They teach on empty stomachs, conduct research without essential journals, books, chemicals, or reagents, and drive rickety cars while burdened with unpaid bills, school fees, rent, and other pressing needs,” the statement read.

ASUU noted that despite the poor conditions, the public is quick to blame universities for producing “unemployable graduates” and failing to generate innovative research, leaving academics feeling “forgotten, shamed and demoralised.”

The union also criticised successive governments for failing to honour collective bargaining agreements, saying the repeated delays in concluding the renegotiation of the 2009 FGN-ASUU Agreement — despite a draft being submitted in December 2024 — had eroded trust.

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ASUU listed key unresolved issues, including conditions of service, funding, university autonomy, and the review of laws governing the National Universities Commission and the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board.

It accused government agents of cherry-picking which parts of agreements to implement, undermining morale and the basic requirements for teaching, research, and community service.