2025 Agreement: NANS warns governors against another ASUU strike

The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) has issued a strong warning to state governors whose universities are affected by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) ultimatum. NANS cautioned against allowing the failure to implement the 2025 agreement to trigger another wave of university strikes.

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Students must not be made to pay the price for disputes between ASUU and governments, insisting that any further shutdown of universities would deepen the academic, psychological and economic hardship already suffered by millions of Nigerian students.

NANS emphasized that students must not be made to pay the price for disagreements between ASUU and government bodies. The association argued that any further university shutdowns would exacerbate the academic, psychological, and economic hardships already faced by millions of Nigerian students. This warning comes as ASUU has authorized 20 university branches to issue 14-day ultimatums regarding unresolved aspects of the 2025 Federal Government-ASUU agreement, with potential industrial action looming.

While acknowledging ASUU members' right to demand agreement implementation, NANS President Akinteye Babatunde Afeez urged the union not to direct the consequences of the dispute toward students. He highlighted that Nigerian students have already endured significant disruptions from previous strikes, leading to prolonged academic programs, delayed graduations, and considerable psychological distress.

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Nigerian students have endured enough disruptions through previous strikes, which resulted in prolonged academic programmes, delayed graduation and significant psychological distress.

NANS placed particular responsibility on state governments, asserting that governors overseeing state-owned universities must intervene immediately to resolve outstanding obligations under the 2025 agreement. The association criticized governors who allow avoidable strikes to cripple the university system, especially with increased state allocations, labeling such actions as "irresponsible and unfit to be a Governor" and demonstrating "gross insensitivity" to students and university workers.

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Any governor who allows an avoidable strike to cripple the university system despite increased allocations accruing to states as “irresponsible and unfit to be a Governor.”

The association demanded swift action from governors of affected states to settle outstanding issues and ensure timely payment of benefits to eligible academic staff. NANS declared that students would resist any attempt to make them bear the consequences of what it termed the "irresponsibility, ineptitude and callousness" of state authorities, stating, "It is neither fair nor just for students to be sent away from classrooms because of the irresponsibility of these state governments."

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It is neither fair nor just for students to be sent away from classrooms because of the irresponsibility of these state governments.