‘Tinubu ended university strikes, not a coincidence’ – Education Minister

The Federal Government has explained why Nigeria’s public universities have remained strike-free since President Bola Tinubu assumed office.

Speaking during an interview on ARISE TV, the Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, said the absence of industrial action in the past two academic sessions was the result of deliberate negotiations and sustained dialogue, not coincidence.

Alausa recalled that President Tinubu, during his campaign, promised that a four-year course would remain a four-year course in Nigerian universities. According to him, the administration has taken concrete steps to fulfil that pledge.

“The President has been in government for two academic sessions, and since then, there has not been a single strike,” the minister said. “That did not happen by coincidence.”

He explained that the government engaged extensively with the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), polytechnic unions, the College of Health Sciences Union (COHESU), as well as non-academic staff unions including SSANU, NASU, and NAT.

Alausa noted that negotiations with ASUU were ongoing but strategic, adding that several “low-hanging fruits” were identified and resolved early to prevent disruption.

“It is not that the agreement took 14 months. There were areas where progress could be made quickly, and we focused on those,” he said.

According to the minister, the Tinubu administration prioritised dialogue over confrontation, stressing that sustained engagement with education unions remains key to maintaining stability in the sector.

He added that the government remains committed to ensuring uninterrupted academic calendars across universities and other tertiary institutions nationwide.