The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC)’s four-week deadline to the federal government over the ongoing ASUU-led tertiary education crisis has now passed, but there has been no confirmed nationwide industrial action.
NLC President Joe Ajaero had warned that if the government failed to conclude negotiations with not only ASUU but other tertiary unions, the NLC’s organs would convene and mobilise all workers across the country. The four-week ultimatum, first set in October 2025, was in reaction to repeated government failures to honour agreements, especially the 2009 ASUU-FGN pact.
In a related move, the NLC had adopted a “no pay, no work” stance to counter the government’s enforcement of “no work, no pay” against striking academics. Ajaero also reiterated calls for sustainable funding of education, pushing for at least 25% of the national budget to go to the sector, consistent with UNESCO recommendations.
However, as of now, no public statement has confirmed that NLC’s NEC has met or that any new nationwide strike has begun. Civil society and students are watching closely, and pressure is mounting for the government to show concrete progress.
