●N200 Billion Intervention Rolled Out
•●One Unified Committee to Handle All Tertiary Union Talks
● President Tinubu Orders: “Keep Students in School”
In a decisive move to prevent another industrial action by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), the Federal Government has unveiled a comprehensive negotiation and intervention plan aimed at resolving long-standing issues in Nigeria’s tertiary education sector.
The Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, announced the formation of an Expanded Negotiation Committee, led by former Head of Service, Mahmud Yayale Ahmed, to engage all academic unions across universities, polytechnics, and colleges of education.
Speaking in Abuja during a meeting of the Technical Working Group on Wednesday, Dr Alausa emphasized President Bola Tinubu’s commitment to ensuring that Nigerian students remain in school.
“The directive from President Tinubu is clear — our children must stay in school. We must do everything possible to avert a strike,” Alausa stated.
N200 Billion Intervention Package
To back its commitment with action, Alausa revealed that the Federal Government has already disbursed N50 billion for earned academic allowances, while another N150 billion has been earmarked in the 2025 budget for university revitalisation projects.
The N150 billion, according to the minister, will be released in three tranches of N50 billion each — with the first already set to go.
“For almost 15 years, the needs assessment issue has lingered. Now, this President has taken action by allocating N150 billion to address it,” Alausa said.
Unified Negotiation Structure
In a shift from past approaches, the Federal Government has now consolidated all previous negotiation teams into a single, coordinated committee — a move Alausa said will eliminate inefficiencies.
“Previously, we had separate committees negotiating for universities, polytechnics, and colleges. That model wasn’t working,” he noted.
“With this unified structure, we can understand and address the needs of all institutions more effectively.”
He added that the Technical Working Group is finalising the government’s counter-offer to ASUU, which will be submitted to the expanded committee within 48 hours.
Progress on Other Demands
Dr Alausa listed several areas where progress has been made, including:
▪︎Resolution of promotion arrears
▪︎Implementation of the 25–25 wage award
▪︎Payment of teaching and responsibility allowances
He also assured that all outstanding arrears would be fully paid by 2026.
“We’re not promising to solve everything overnight. But our actions show goodwill and a clear commitment to reform,” Alausa said.
Appeal for Patience and Dialogue
The minister called on ASUU and other unions to remain patient and continue on the path of dialogue.
“Strikes should not be the first resort. These challenges have accumulated over decades. But this administration is taking concrete steps to fix them,” he urged.
Representatives from key government agencies — including the National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission, the Budget Office, and the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment — attended the Abuja meeting alongside senior officials from the Ministry of Education.
Dr Alausa concluded with a renewed call for unity and understanding:
“This is a government with the political will to make a difference. We ask for patience. Let’s keep our children in school — it’s a promise we made, and one we intend to keep.”
