ASUU Strike: President Tinubu Directs Nationwide Headcount of Lecturers as Industrial Action Enters Day Two
Ademola Busayo 
The Bola Tinubu-led administration has ordered an immediate physical headcount of lecturers in federal universities as the two-week strike declared by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) entered its second day.
In a circular dated October 13, 2025, signed by the Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, and addressed to vice-chancellors and pro-chancellors, the government reaffirmed its decision to enforce the controversial “no work, no pay” directive.
The circular, which was also copied to the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, the Accountant-General of the Federation, and the Executive Secretary of the National Universities Commission, directed university administrators to immediately take roll call and physically verify academic staff presence on campuses.
The government said the exercise was aimed at identifying lecturers who had joined the ongoing strike and those who were still carrying out their duties.
“In line with existing labour regulations, any employee who fails to discharge official duties during a strike period will not be entitled to remuneration for that period,” the circular read.
Dr Alausa expressed the government’s disappointment with ASUU’s decision to embark on industrial action “despite ongoing engagement efforts”, adding that the administration “would no longer condone disruptions to the academic calendar.”
Vice-chancellors were instructed to compile and submit comprehensive reports separating those participating in the strike from those who were not for use in implementing the salary cut directive.
The circular also clarified that lecturers who belong to other unions, such as the Congress of University Academics (CONUA) and the National Association of Medical and Dental Academics (NAMDA), “should continue to receive their full entitlements”.
The directive has sparked outrage from the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), which accused the Tinubu government of intimidation and bad faith in handling negotiations with ASUU.
In a statement signed by NLC President Joe Ajaero, the Congress condemned the “no work, no pay” approach, describing it as a tactic that would only worsen the crisis in Nigeria’s education system.
“The commencement of a two-week warning strike by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) is a direct consequence of the Federal Government’s refusal to honour collectively bargained agreements,” the NLC said.
According to Ajaero, the lecturers’ action was not an act of defiance but “a necessary response to the neglect of a fundamental pillar of our society”.
He argued that the government, not the lecturers, was responsible for the breach of contract that led to the current impasse.
“The breach of contract lies with the state, not the scholars. The lecturers are willing to work, but the government, by reneging on its commitments, has made it impossible for them to do so with the dignity and conditions their profession deserves,” Ajaero stated.
The labour leader warned that if the government failed to address ASUU’s demands by the end of the warning strike, the NLC would convene an emergency congress to consider broader national industrial action.
“This creates an educational divide that limits social mobility and perpetuates inequality,” the NLC said, warning that the government’s indifference could further endanger the future of millions of Nigerian youths.
Meanwhile, ASUU has dismissed the government’s latest threat as an empty one, insisting that the strike was provoked by years of deceit and unmet agreements.
Responding to the development, the ASUU Zonal Coordinator for the Akure Zone, Adeola Egbetokun, said members were not intimidated by the “no work, no pay” policy.
“Yes, it is a familiar route, and our members are ready. Dr Alausa should also know that there is what is called ‘No Pay No Work’,” Egbetokun told reporters.
He blamed the government’s “insincerity and lack of commitment” for the crisis, accusing officials of introducing a strange document that abandoned earlier negotiated agreements.
“We had engaged in collective bargaining with this government, and the committee had produced a draft agreement. Most of the provisions in the draft were concessions on the part of ASUU. Yet, the government became recalcitrant,” he explained.
ASUU declared the two-week warning strike on October 13, citing government failure to honour long-standing agreements on funding, staff welfare, and revitalisation of public universities.
The Federal Ministry of Education has maintained that dialogue remains the only way forward, but university unions accuse Tinubu’s government of repeatedly breaking its promises.
The standoff has once again plunged Nigeria’s university system into uncertainty, leaving students stranded and academics frustrated.
About the Author
Emmanuel Femi Adedayo 
Ayo Marvel 
