The Academic Staff Union of Secondary Schools (ASUSS) has called on the Federal Government to grant it a certificate of registration, citing constitutional, legal, and international labour rights.

In a statement jointly signed by ASUSS National President, Sola Adigun, and Secretary-General, Kenneth Chukwudi Okoh, the union said the demand aligns with Section 40 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), the Trade Union Act, and International Labour Organisation (ILO) conventions on freedom of association.

The union described the prolonged denial of its registration by the Ministry of Labour and Employment as a gross injustice to thousands of secondary school teachers across Nigeria who wish to exercise their right to freely associate.

“This appeal is in respect to the right of workers to join the union of their choice,” the statement read.
“We call on the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) to support the registration and operation of ASUSS in line with the Trade Union Act 2025.”

ASUSS referenced the NLC’s own communiqué of July 4, in which the labour body condemned the growing trend of employers denying workers the freedom to choose their union affiliations. The union urged the NLC to match its words with action by backing ASUSS’s registration, which has been pending for nearly two decades.

“Allowing the registration of the union will enable teachers in the country to freely join any union of their choice,” ASUSS said, while warning against internal suppression within the organised labour movement.

The union also reaffirmed its commitment to education sector development, pledging not to compromise its dedication to the welfare and professional dignity of Nigeria’s secondary school teachers.

The call comes amid ongoing discussions on labour rights, union plurality, and the autonomy of education professionals to define their representative structures within Nigeria’s industrial relations framework.