The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has called an emergency meeting of all major unions in the public tertiary education sector, following the Academic Staff Union of Universities’ (ASUU) decision to embark on a two-week warning strike over the Federal Government’s failure to honour long-standing agreements.

In a statement issued on Tuesday, NLC President Joe Ajaero said the meeting, scheduled for Monday, October 20, 2025, at the NLC Headquarters in Abuja, aims to coordinate a unified response among education unions and compel the government to act swiftly. The gathering will include representatives from universities, polytechnics, colleges of education, and research institutes, including NASU, SSANU, and NAAT.

“The struggle for the survival of public education is a fight for the soul of our nation, and we can no longer afford to have our unions stand alone,” Ajaero said. He added that threats such as the government’s “No Work, No Pay” policy would not resolve the underlying issues, stressing the need for collective action to defend workers’ rights and protect public education.

ASUU President, Prof. Chris Piwuna, had announced the two-week strike on Sunday after the expiration of a 14-day ultimatum issued to the Federal Government. The union is demanding full implementation of the 2009 FGN-ASUU Agreement, payment of withheld salaries, sustainable funding for universities, and the release of outstanding allowances and deductions.

Although Education Minister Dr. Tunji Alausa disclosed that the government had released N50 billion for earned academic allowances and earmarked N150 billion in the 2025 budget for university revitalisation, ASUU rejected the measures as inadequate. The NLC reiterated its full solidarity with ASUU and other education unions, hinting at a possible escalation of industrial action if the government fails to address the crisis. The emergency meeting is expected to determine coordinated next steps to safeguard staff welfare and ensure the stability of Nigeria’s tertiary education system.