The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has given the Federal Government a four-week deadline to conclude all ongoing negotiations with unions in the tertiary education sector or face a nationwide industrial action.
The NLC also criticised the Federal Government’s “no work, no pay” policy targeted at members of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) over their ongoing strike, describing it as punitive and counterproductive.
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NLC President Joe Ajaero disclosed this during an interactive session with labour correspondents in Abuja. The session followed a meeting held between NLC leaders and representatives of various tertiary institution-based unions at the labour centre’s headquarters.
Ajaero stated, “We have decided to give the federal government four weeks to conclude all negotiations in this sector. They have started talks with ASUU but the problem in this sector goes beyond ASUU.
“That is why we are extending this to four weeks. If after four weeks this negotiation is not concluded, the organs of the NEC will meet and take a nationwide action that all workers in the country, all unions in the country will be involved so that we get to the root of all this.
“The era of signing agreements, negotiations and threatening the unions involved, that era has come to an end.
“The policy, the so-called policy of no work, no pay, will henceforth be no pay, no work. You can’t benefit from an action you instigated. We have discovered that most, 90% of strike actions in this country are caused by failure to obey agreements.”
Nigeria’s higher education sector has continued to experience instability, with the latest round of strikes leading to the shutdown of universities nationwide.
ASUU National President, Professor Chris Piwuna, confirmed the union’s decision to embark on an indefinite strike during a press conference at the University of Abuja on Sunday. The action followed the expiration of a 14-day ultimatum earlier issued to the Federal Government on September 28.
The union cited lingering issues, including unpaid salary arrears, inadequate infrastructure, staff welfare, and non-implementation of the 2009 ASUU-FGN Agreement, as the basis for its action.
Although the Minister of State for Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, had earlier announced that talks were nearing completion — noting the government had released ₦50 billion for earned academic allowances and earmarked ₦150 billion in the 2025 budget for a needs assessment programme — ASUU rejected the proposals as insufficient.
The lecturers’ union insists on full implementation of the 2009 agreement, release of three and a half months of withheld salaries, adequate and sustainable university funding, protection against victimisation, settlement of outstanding promotions and arrears, and payment of withheld cooperative and union deductions.
Reaffirming its solidarity with the striking university unions, the NLC said it would mobilise full participation from all affiliated bodies if the government fails to act within the four-week window.
The labour body further called for adherence to collective bargaining principles and respect for the rights of workers, reiterating that “no pay, no work” would henceforth apply as a reciprocal stance to the government’s approach.
The emergency meeting convened by the NLC is expected to map out the next course of action for labour in defending the welfare of academic staff and preserving the stability and quality of Nigeria’s public tertiary education system.