The Academic Staff Union of Universities has suspended its planned indefinite strike action — which was set to begin on Monday morning — after late-night negotiations with Education Minister Prof. Tahir Mamman produced a government commitment to release ₦180 billion in outstanding funds for universities within 30 days.

The agreement, signed at 12:47am, also includes a timeline for resolving the contentious issue of university autonomy and a commitment to review the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System arrangements that ASUU has long argued penalise academic staff.

What was agreed

The government has committed to: release ₦180 billion in outstanding earned academic allowances within 30 days; present a bill to the National Assembly extending university financial autonomy by September; and set up a joint committee to review the IPPIS system with ASUU participation.

ASUU President Prof. Emmanuel Osodeke said the union would give the government 60 days to implement the agreement before reconsidering strike action. "We did not get everything we wanted tonight, but we got enough to protect our members and keep students in class for now," he said.

"Nigerian students have suffered enough disruptions. Tonight's agreement, however imperfect, keeps the universities open and that must be the priority." — Education Minister Prof. Tahir Mamman