Nigerian universities are on strike thanks to the face-off between the Federal Government and the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU). ASUU strike began on February 14, 2022, over the adoption of the Integrated Personnel Payroll Information System (IPPIS) as the payment system in the university sector, poor funding of the sector, non-payment of salaries and allowances of some members, the inability of the government to also pay Earned Academic Allowance, etc.
Meetings between the Federal Government and ASUU to find solutions to end the strike have all failed. On Saturday, June 11, 2022, Brekete Family, an Abuja-based radio, invited ASUU President, Prof. Emmanuel Osodeke and presented a N50 million donation to the union from a governor to end the strike, which was rejected. Prof. Osodeke said the union would not accept crowdfunding and would not beg the Federal Government for money.
As it stands, there are no indications that the ASUU strike will end soon. So as the strike continues, let’s look at what caused the industrial action, and the impact, among others.
Why ASUU strikes
ASUU strikes are so common that they have almost become yearly events. From 1988 to date, industrial actions have disrupted academic activities in public tertiary institutions.
The industrial actions are usually over the same things: improved welfare package for the lecturers, better working conditions, and implementation of various labour agreements signed with the Federal Government.
List of ASUU strikes in Nigeria
Here is a timeline of ASUU strikes over the years:
1988 strike
ASUU embarked on a strike due to the effects of the Structural Adjustment Programme (SAP) introduced by the then-Head of State, Gen. Ibrahim Badamosi Babangida. In the 80s, oil prices plummeted to less than $10 for a barrel, leading to an economic crisis in Nigeria, a country dependent on oil for revenue. Babangida launched SAP to find a remedy for the situation with support from International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank.
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Like most of the Nigerian population, ASUU was impoverished, and the union embarked on strike with the following demands:
- Implementation of the EUSS (Elongated University Salary Scale).
- Setting up a Joint Negotiation Committee between the Federal Government and the University Staff Union.
- University Autonomy.
On August 7, 1988, ASUU was banned by the Federal Government. In addition, the government seized all the Union’s properties and made announcements directing all universities to immediately pay the EUSS, backdated to January. ASUU responded by forming another union, University Lecturers Association (ULA), but it didn’t last as the union President, Dr. Attahiru Jega, and the immediate past President, Dr. Festus Iyayi, were detained and tortured alongside other executives. Members were forced to return to work or lose their jobs.
1992 strike
The ban on ASUU was lifted in 1990. On May 14, 1992, the academic union went on another strike after the Federal Government failed to negotiate seriously on the conditions in the universities. However, the strike only lasted for a week before Industrial Arbitration Panel (IAP) declared an immediate suspension of the strike and ordered both sides to the negotiating table.
1993 strike
ASUU was forced to declare another strike on July 20, 1993, after the Federal Government ignored IAP orders for negotiation between the two parties. The union was banned for a second time on August 23, 1992. However, ASUU had the support of the public, professional organisations, NANS, etc. After failed tactics to prosecute the union, the government had to find ways to negotiate with ASUU. By September 3, 1992, an agreement was reached which was significant for the following reasons:
- Civilians could stand against the military government.
- A more scientific approach to funding was enabled.
- Workers had the right to collective bargaining.
- There was hope for democracy in Nigeria.
- Formed the basis for further struggle by ASUU to defend the university education in Nigeria.
1994 strike
ASUU embarked on strike to demand Abacha’s administration to re-negotiate the 1993 agreement, and re-instate over 80 lecturers whose appointments were terminated at the University of Abuja by Prof. Isa Mohammed, then Minister of Education and de-annulment of the June 12, 1993 elections. The strike failed to yield desired results due to disagreements within the union concerning June 12 elections. Some believed it was a broad democratic issue, while others felt the struggle had been hijacked by ethnic interests. The struggle to re-instate the UNIABUJA lecturers continued throughout Abacha’s regime.
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1996 strike
ASUU declared another strike to press its demand for the re-negotiation of the agreement and the reinstatement of their UNIABUJA colleagues. The strike lasted for six months and saw the government employ different tactics to divide the union. Eventually, ASUU had to suspend the strike in response to a wide appeal from the public and students.
1999 strike
On May 25, 1999, Abdusalami Abubakar’s regime and ASUU signed an interim palliative measure agreement to enhance academics’ income with a clause for future negotiations to cover basic salaries, funding, and autonomy. However, when the Olusegun Obasanjo’s administration took over, it failed to honor the agreement, which also extended to academic allowances, car refurbishing, and Housing Loans, and Rent subsidies. ASUU embarked on another strike which lasted for five months.
2001 strike
Another strike over the reinstatement of 49 lecturers sacked at the University of Ilorin. An agreement was signed on June 30, 2001, which weakened the salaried conditions of service with only a 22% basic salary increase, but the provision on Funding and University Autonomy remained.
2002 strike
A two-week strike because of the failure of the Obasanjo administration to implement the June 30 agreement it had with the union during the previous strike.
2003 strike
ASUU embarked on another strike due to the non-implementation of previous agreements, including poor university funding and disparity in salary and retirement age. The strike lasted for six months.
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2005 strike
Academic activities were disrupted in public universities after lecturers stayed off-campus for two weeks.
2006 strike
A three-day warning strike was declared which lasted for one week.
2007 strike
On March 26, 2007, ASUU went on another strike that lasted for three months.
2008 strike
Demand for the reinstatement of the 49 sacked UNILORIN lecturers came up again alongside an improved salary scheme. The strike lasted for a week.
2009 strike
ASUU embarked on strike during the late Umaru Musa Yaradu’a administration. The Federal Government signed an agreement which is now known as FG/ASUU 2009 Memorandum of Action, before the union agreed to call off the strike.
2010 strike
Due to the Federal Government’s failure to implement the 2009 agreement, ASUU embarked on an indefinite strike from July 22, 2010, to January 2011.
2011 strike
In December 2011, ASUU went on strike over the government’s failure to implement the 70-year retirement age limit for university lecturer members and adequately fund the universities. The strike lasted for 59 days.
2013 strike
On July 1, 2013, ASUU embarked on strike over the government’s failure to review the retirement age for professors from 65 to 70; approve funding to revitalize the university system; increase the budgetary allocations to the education sector by 26%, among other demands. The strike was called off on December 17, 2013.
2017 strike
On August 17, 2017, ASUU declared an indefinite strike over unresolved and contentious issues with the Federal Government. The strike was called off the following month.
2018 strike
On November 4, 2018, a three-month nationwide strike was declared by ASUU in response to the Federal Government’s inaction toward the union’s demands. However, the strike was called off in February 2019 after a meeting between the ASUU leadership and a government delegation led by the Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige, resolved the eight contentious issues that led to the strike.
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2020 strike
In March 2020, the union embarked on a two-week warning strike over the Federal Government’s failure to implement its 2019 agreement and resolution with the union. The strike lasted for nine months, partly due to the COVID-19 pandemic and government unresponsiveness. The strike, which was the longest industrial action ever, was eventually called off in December 2020.
2022 strike
This strike began on February 14, 2022, and has lasted for three months so far. Calls from various bodies, students union, pressure groups, individuals, and the Federal Government have yielded no results for now.
Impact of ASUU strike
- It has taken a mental toll on students. Students are bored and idle at home, which has led to an increase in depression, anxiety, and other mental health issues in the country.
- Unstable academic calendar, which affects the running and the administration of the university.
- Loss of interest in Nigerian tertiary education. Some students even lose interest in continuing their education after the strike has been called off.
- Poor academic performance by students and lecturers who have to rush academic activities to beat the calendar.
- Additional costs for students who have to pay more rent to continue their studies.
- Inability to graduate on time. Students must spend additional years in the university before graduating due to strike actions.
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