NLC Gives FG Four Weeks to End Education Sector Crisis, Warns of Nationwide Strike

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and its affiliate unions in the education sector have issued a four-week ultimatum to the Federal Government to resolve all lingering disputes affecting tertiary institutions, warning that failure to do so will trigger a nationwide workers’ strike.

The unions also declared a “no pay, no work” stance in retaliation to the Federal Government’s enforcement of the “no work, no pay” policy over the ongoing two-week warning strike by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU).

Affiliated unions under the NLC include ASUU, Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU), Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions (NASU), National Association of Academic Technologists (NAAT), Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP), Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Polytechnics (SSANIP), Academic Staff Union of Research Institutions (ASURI), and the College of Education Staff Union (COESU), among others.

Speaking after a joint meeting in Abuja, NLC President, Comrade Joe Ajaero, said the unions had agreed to form a united front to tackle what he described as the government’s repeated violations of agreements and neglect of the education sector.

“The NLC, after extensive deliberations with unions in tertiary institutions on finding lasting solutions to their perennial challenges, has resolved to work collectively with them to address these issues once and for all,” Ajaero stated.

He added that the unions would establish a framework for engagement to ensure full implementation of all existing agreements, sustainable education funding in line with UNESCO’s 25–26% budgetary allocation recommendation, and the review of wage structures and allowances for both academic and non-academic staff.

“We discovered that government officials sent to meetings often attend without mandates. Henceforth, no trade union will hold talks with any representative lacking authority to make binding commitments. You can’t sign agreements and later renege — never again,” Ajaero declared.

The NLC President further announced plans to create a coordinated national campaign focused on education reform and accountability.

“We have decided to give the Federal Government four weeks to conclude all negotiations in the sector. They’ve started talks with ASUU, but the issues extend beyond one union. All are affected. If, after four weeks, nothing changes, the organs of the NLC will meet to initiate a nationwide action involving all workers and unions,” he warned.

Rejecting the government’s “no work, no pay” stance, Ajaero said the unions would respond with “no pay, no work.”

“You can’t benefit from an action you caused. We found that 90% of strikes in Nigeria stem from the government’s failure to honour agreements. You can’t break promises and punish the other party — those who cause the problem must face the consequences. You can’t beat a child and ask them not to cry,” he said.

With this ultimatum, Nigeria’s labour movement appears set for a major confrontation with the Federal Government unless urgent steps are taken to resolve the deep-rooted crisis in the education sector.

Opinion Nigeria News