Senate Intervenes in ASUU-FG Dispute, Moves to End Prolonged University Shutdown

The Senate has stepped in to mediate the ongoing face-off between the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) and the Federal Government, with a view to ending the lingering industrial action that has kept students out of classrooms for months.

Chairman of the Senate Committee on Tertiary Institutions and TETFund, Senator Muktari Dandutse, disclosed this on Friday after a closed-door meeting with ASUU leaders at the National Assembly. He said the upper chamber was determined to facilitate a resolution that would ensure universities reopen while addressing the core issues at stake.

“Returning to school does not mean the issues are resolved; it creates room for continuous dialogue,” Dandutse said. “Our immediate goal is to restore academic stability while ensuring that lecturers receive fair and sustainable compensation.”

He explained that the Senate’s intervention includes coordinating discussions between ASUU, the Ministry of Education, and the National Universities Commission (NUC). The lawmakers also plan to engage the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) on the lingering land dispute involving the University of Abuja.

Dandutse assured that all grievances would be harmonised ahead of a joint meeting with government representatives early next week. “We are pushing for both immediate relief and long-term reforms to prevent future strikes,” he said.

Senator Karimi Sunday, who also spoke at the session, acknowledged that while progress had been made in negotiations, some welfare-related matters, such as conference, group, and journal allowances, were yet to be fully addressed.

“These allowances must reach those they are meant for. We are committed to balancing government’s fiscal limitations with the welfare of academic staff,” he said, adding that prolonged strikes were detrimental to national progress.

Senator Adams Oshiomhole, in his contribution, stressed the need to protect both students and lecturers from the impact of inflation and poor policy planning.

“If inflation reduces a student’s purchasing power, education becomes unaffordable. Likewise, if lecturers are underpaid, we risk losing them to other sectors,” he warned. “A country that neglects its teachers cannot build a strong foundation for innovation and development.”

ASUU President, Prof. Chris Piwuna, confirmed that talks with the government were still ongoing but expressed dissatisfaction with the current offer.

“The proposal presented by government falls short of the Nimi Briggs benchmark earlier agreed upon,” Piwuna said. He added that while ASUU values the Senate’s mediation, the decision to suspend the strike would only be made collectively by its members.

“Our process is democratic. We relay discussions to our branches before any decision is taken,” he explained, dismissing suggestions that ASUU uses strikes as a negotiation tool. “Dialogue has always been our first option, but it is only when we withdraw our services that the government listens.”