The Federal Government says Nigeria lost about five years of academic time within a decade due to repeated strikes by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), disrupting learning and weakening the global competitiveness of graduates.
Minister of Education, Tunji Alausa, made this known at the launch of the Entrepreneurship, Innovation and Business Incubation Certification (EIBIC) programme in Abuja.
He said nearly 52 strikes led to about 1,700 lost academic days before 2023, but noted that recent interventions under President Bola Tinubu have stabilised academic calendars.
According to him, improved dialogue and timely responses to lecturers’ demands have ensured that university programmes now run as scheduled, with four-year courses completed within the expected timeframe since May 2023.
Despite this claim, concerns persist as ASUU threatens fresh industrial action over delays in implementing a renegotiated agreement, which includes a 40 per cent salary increase, improved pensions and earned academic allowances.
The deal, expected to take effect from January 2026, has yet to be fully implemented across several federal universities.
ASUU President, Chris Piwuna, warned the union would decide its next steps if progress is not made, while critics argue that government claims are misleading and fail to address deeper issues like chronic underfunding, which continue to fuel unrest in the university system.