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ASUU Reacts to Federal Government’s Appeal To Suspend Strike

The Academic Staff Union of Universities has reacted after the Federal Government begged it to shelve its proposed warning strike.
According to ASUU, FG’s intervention is “a little too late.”
ASUU President, Professor Chris Piwuna, made the comment on Thursday during an interview on Channels Television’s The Morning Brief, accusing the government of failing to treat the union’s demands with urgency.
 
“The problem we have with this government and this Ministry of Education is that they are slow in responding to our demands,” Piwuna said.
He recalled that the union had given the government a three-week deadline after a previous meeting in Sokoto, but said no follow-up communication came from the authorities within that period.
 
“We went for a meeting in Sokoto, and at that time we were about to embark on a strike action,” he explained. “They gave us three weeks, we accepted the three weeks, but we never heard a word from them until the three weeks elapsed, not a word from them, courtesy to even say, ‘Oh gentlemen, we think we are running short, three weeks is around the corner, we are unable to meet with you on so-and-so date.’ Nothing, until we threatened action.”
According to Piwuna, it was only two working days before the proposed strike that the government reached out to appeal for suspension of the planned action.
“Yesterday, they appealed to us not to embark on action. Our 2009 agreement, which is still being renegotiated after eight years, remains undone. We have not concluded on it, and two working days before a strike action, you come to appeal to us. I think the appeal has come a little too late,” he said.
The ASUU President maintained that the union’s members would proceed with their planned warning strike once the current ultimatum expires on Sunday unless the government presents tangible solutions.
 
“Their ultimatum expires on Sunday, and after that, there will be a warning strike unless something substantial comes out from the government,” Piwuna warned. “So, in the next 48 hours, we expect to receive something substantial from the government. Then, we can go back to our members and ask, ‘Do you think this is sufficient for us to hold on?’ and we will do what our members ask us to do.”

ASUU had earlier directed its branches across the country to prepare for a two-week warning strike expected to commence on October 13.

The latest standoff between the union and the Federal Government adds to a long list of disputes over university funding, lecturers’ welfare, and the still-unresolved 2009 ASUU-FGN Agreement.

Meanwhile, the Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, said on Wednesday that the government had entered the final stage of talks with ASUU and other university unions to find a lasting solution to the lingering crisis in the country’s tertiary education system.
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Tinubu’s Reforms Have Not Reduced Poverty – World Bank

The World Bank has given a verdict on President Bola Tinubu’s economic reforms.
According to the World Bank, despite the expansion of the Nigeria’s economy and the revenue increase, poverty rate remains alarmingly high.
The Bretton Woods institution declared that 139 million Nigerians are living in poverty in 2025 despite the economic reforms embarked upon by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
Country Director, World Bank Nigeria, Mathew Verghis, spoke in Abuja at the launch of the Nigerian Development Update where the bank also projected that Nigeria’s economy would grow by 4.4 per cent in 2027.
The World Bank’s verdict is coming a few weeks after Tinubu praised his government for the economic rebound being witnessed in the country.
Tinubu had declared that Nigeria has “turned the corner” on its economic and social challenges, assuring citizens that the sacrifices of the past two years were beginning to yield measurable results.

During a live nationwide broadcast to commemorate Nigeria’s 65th Independence anniversary, Tinubu stressed that his administration’s reforms were already repositioning the country on the path of stability, growth and self-sufficiency.

“I am pleased to report that we have finally turned the corner. The worst is over. Yesterday’s pains are giving way to relief. I salute your endurance, support and understanding,” the president said. “I will continue to work for you and justify the confidence you reposed in me to steer the ship of our nation to a safe harbour.”
The removal of subsidy from premium motor spirit (PMS), otherwise known as petroleum, has freed more revenues to the coffers of the federal government with states also getting more allocations.
The monetary policy reforms have also seen the foreign reserves rising to over $43 billion; while the exchange rate market has stabilised. Inflation eased for the fifth consecutive month to 20.12 per cent in August.
But the World Bank’s Country Director said:“So, these results are exactly what you need to see in a stabilisation. These are big achievements. However, despite these stabilisation gains, many Nigerians are still struggling. Most households are struggling with eroded purchasing power.
 
“In 2025, we estimate that 139 million Nigerians live in poverty. So, the challenge is clear: how to translate the gains from the stabilisation reforms into better living standards for all.”
 
He stated that the federal government must reduce inflation, particularly food inflation, ensure effective use of public funds and expand safety nets, to address the high rate of poverty in the country and ensure that citizens enjoy the gains of reforms.
“Food inflation affects everybody but particularly the poor and has the potential to undermine political support for the reforms. Use public resources more effectively ensuring that spending drives real development results that benefit people and three, expanding the safety net so that the poorest and vulnerable get support,” he added.
The World Bank projected that Nigeria’s economy would grow by 4.4 per cent in 2027, compared to the 4.2 per cent earlier projected for the year 2025.
It explained that the growth would be driven by services and supported by agriculture and non-oil industry.
Samer Matta, the World Bank’s Senior Economist for Nigeria, in a presentation titled, ‘From Policy to People: Bringing the Reform Gains Home’, said inflation is expected to gradually ease but remain elevated, requiring sustained monetary discipline and structural reforms to tackle food prices, the “biggest tax on the poor”.
The senior economist noted that the outlook for Nigeria’s economy remains cautiously optimistic.
According to the NDU, Nigeria’s economy expanded by 3.9 per cent year-on-year in the first half of 2025, up from 3.5 per cent in the same period of 2024.
“Growth was driven by strong performance in services and non-oil industries, alongside improvements in oil production and agriculture.
 
“The country’s external position has strengthened, with foreign reserves exceeding $42 billion and the current account surplus rising to 6.1% of GDP, supported by higher non-oil exports and lower oil imports.
 
“On the fiscal side, despite lower oil prices, the federal deficit is projected at 2.6% of GDP in 2025, broadly unchanged from 2024, while public debt is expected to decline for the first time in over a decade — from 42.9% to 39.8% of GDP,” the report said.
It cautioned that the macroeconomic gains had yet to translate into tangible improvements in people’s lives, adding that many households continued to face hardship, with poverty and food insecurity remaining high.
The NDU noted that Nigeria’s poor households, who spend up to 70 per cent of their income on food, have seen the cost of a basic food basket rise fivefold between 2019 and 2024, highlighting the need for continued efforts to reduce inflation and support the vulnerable.
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Gold Pushes Past $4,000 For The First Time

Gold has pushed past $4,000 an ounce for the first time on Wednesday.
Information gathered revealed that this new milestone is being fueled by investors seeking refuge from mounting economic and geopolitical uncertainty.
The new record is also as a result of expectations of further interest rate cuts by the U.S. Federal Reserve.
The metal’s record-breaking rally has made it one of the best-performing assets of 2025, up 54% year-to-date after gaining 27% in 2024. Spot gold was last trading up 1.58% at $4,047.28 per ounce, with U.S. gold futures for December delivery also gaining 1.58% to $4,067.70.
Gold has surpassed advances in global equity markets and Bitcoin while outpacing losses for the dollar and crude oil.
The safe-haven appeal of gold stems from a perfect storm of factors. Mounting global crises, including the Middle East conflict, the war in Ukraine, and political turmoil in France and Japan, are stoking demand. Domestically, the U.S. government shutdown, now in its eighth day, is delaying the release of key economic data, forcing investors to lean on expectations for Fed rate cuts. Markets are currently pricing in a 25-basis-point reduction at the upcoming Fed meeting, with a similar cut anticipated in December.
Beyond the headlines, the rally is fortified by strong central bank buying and “hefty inflows” into gold-backed Exchange Traded Products (ETPs). Globally, these inflows reached a total of $64 billion year-to-date, with a record $17.3 billion flowing in during September alone. Analysts also noted that a “fear of missing out” is compounding the upward momentum.
Matthew Piggott, director of gold and silver at Metals Focus, commented that gold’s strength “reflects an extremely positive macroeconomic and geopolitical background for safe-haven assets.” He sees no immediate catalyst for a significant drop and expects gold to continue pushing up throughout the year, attempting a challenge of $5,000/oz.
Silver joined the rally, gaining 3.24% to $49.37 per ounce, sitting just below its all-time high of $49.51.
The metal is up more than 69% this year, benefiting from the same drivers as gold, in addition to tightness in the spot market. Suki Cooper, Global Head, Commodities Research at Standard Chartered Bank, noted that the silver market is tightening due to rising lease rates, record-high Comex stocks, and seasonal demand in India. HSBC has since raised its average silver price forecast for 2026 to $44.50.
The strong momentum also lifted other precious metals: platinum gained 2.10% to $1,652.20, and palladium climbed 7.35% to $1,435.53. However, on a technical note, gold’s Relative Strength Index (RSI) stands at 88, which suggests the metal is currently overbought.
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FG Reacts As ASUU Begins Mobilizing Members For Nationwide Strike

The federal government has reacted to the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) planned nationwide strike.
The government begged ASUU to shelve its strike, assuring that all outstanding issues will be addressed.
The assurance was given by the Minister of Education, Tunji Alausa, during a press briefing on Wednesday, noting that President Bola Tinubu has the political will to meet the demands of the union.
He added that President Tinubu has directed that all necessary efforts must be put in place to ensure that university and other public tertiary institution students remain in schools and the school doors remain open for activities.
Alausa submitted that there is no basis for the proposed ASUU strike, as their grievances are already receiving attention.
The Minister disclosed that by Thursday, the Yayale Ahmed-led Federal Government Tertiary Institutions Expanded Negotiating Committee would meet with the leadership of ASUU to present the government’s offer to them.

He revealed that the committee has reached out to ASUU and other unions in tertiary institutions to start giving dates and times when they will meet.
“The directive of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to us is that our children must be in school; that we should do everything humanly possible to avert a strike. That’s why what we’ve been working behind the scenes to ensure a holistic resolution of the issues. We’ve not been talking about everything we’re doing.
 
“People at the highest level of government have been working several hours intensely to get a robust but affordable response back to our trade unions. These are issues that predate 10-15 years ago. They’ve not been surmounted, but this President has given us the political will to resolve these issues once and for all.
 
“In the past, things were done in silos. There were three different Negotiating Committees that were set up. One for universities, one for polytechnics and one for the College of Education and those committees worked in silos. That’s not an efficient way to negotiate.
 
”Despite the slight delay that we’ve had in putting the Expanded Committee together, we now have one Negotiating Committee that will talk with all tertiary institutions. That same committee will negotiate with academic staff and non-academic staff unions so that they can have a full grasp of what their needs are.
 
“I have seen all the requests from all these unions at the universities, polytechnics and colleges of education; 80% of those requests are about the same, while the 20% of the requests are based on particular needs of the universities, polytechnics and colleges of education,” Alausa said.
Alausa disclosed that the expanded negotiation committee was inaugurated on Monday and that the members held their inaugural meeting on Tuesday.
He appealed for calm on the part of ASUU, assuring that the government is committed to resolving all issues, stressing that the contending issues have been ongoing for about two decades.
“And as I’ve said repeatedly, we will resolve it in a holistic, comprehensive manner that is mutually respectful to the unions in an affordable manner. Something the government can afford,” he said.
The Minister noted that the government had commenced the implementation of the demands of the lecturers and other staff unions, saying the current administration of President Tinubu released ₦50 billion Earned Academic Allowance some months ago.
He added that N150 billion was allocated in the 2025 budget as a revitalisation fund for tertiary institutions, while the issues of promotion arrears would be captured in the 2026 budget.
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I Took Him to Tanzania, Senegal – Obasanjo Reveals How He Helped Dangote Succeed

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has revealed how he helped Africa’s richest man, Aliko Dangote make it in business.
Obasanjo spoke on Wednesday.
According to him, he created an enabling environment to ensure that Dangote built his cement factory in Nigeria, he took him to Tanzania, Senegal, and other African countries.
Speaking at the Bauchi State economic and investment summit, Obasanjo stressed the need for public, private sector partnership.
He said: “So Aliko then planned to produce 5 million tons of cement a year. Since we started producing cement in 1956 up to 2003, we’ve never produced 5 million tons.
 
“So when Aliko made that projection, the people in the ministry said he was telling a lie. He wants to be making it up. I said alright, let’s see how his lie will work.
 
“So I put two people on Aliko’s construction site and they are reporting to me every day. The day Aliko the contractor did not work, they will phone and tell me. And I will immediately phone Aliko.
 
“So one day Aliko came to me and said, Mr. President, I’m getting worried about you. I said what have I done? He said you know about this cement project more than myself. And it is not a government project. I’m getting worried about you. I said my brother Aliko, this is a Nigerian project. So anything Nigerian is a government project.
 
“Not only did Aliko succeed in the first 5 million, he succeeded in the second 5 million. He succeeded in the third 5 million. I started taking him out to other countries in Africa.
 
“I took him to Tanzania. I took him to Senegal. That’s how Aliko made it. Partnership between the private and the public. Partnership between leadership at every level.”
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ADC Coalition Has PDP, APC DNA – Shehu Sani

Former Kaduna Central Senator, Shehu Sani has dismissed the African Democratic Congress, ADC.

According to him, the opposition coalition has the DNA of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, and the All Progressives Congress, APC.
Sani made the remark while insisting that the ADC coalition is not different from PDP and APC.
The opposition coalition recently adopted ADC as their official platform.
Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, ex-Secretary to the Government of the Federation, SGF, Babachir Lawal, former Senate President David Mark, Rauf Aregbesola, Rotimi Amaechi and other prominent politicians are part of the coalition.
Sani posted on X: “Some people came with the DNA of the ruling party and some with the DNA of the PDP and gave birth to the coalition. And you say that baby is different.”
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Yakubu Hands Over to Agbamuche as INEC Acting Chair

Professor Mahmood Yakubu has handed over to the oldest serving National Commissioner in the electoral body.
Yakubu handed over to May Agbamuche as the Acting National Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC.
Agbamuche is the oldest serving National Commissioner in the electoral body.
Professor Mahmood announced this on Tuesday at the ongoing meeting with Resident Electoral Commissioners at the INEC headquarters in Abuja.
He solicited the support of the commissioners and directors of the commission for Agbamuche, until the appointment of a substantive chairman.
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Nigeria Seeks $2bn China Loan For New ‘Super Grid’ — Adelabu

The Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu has revealed Nigeria is seeking a $2 billion loan from the Export-Import Bank of China to fund the construction of a new “super grid.”
According to him, the super grid is designed to tackle the country’s persistent power shortages.
According to a Bloomberg report, the , disclosed the plan during the Nigerian Economic Summit held in Abuja on Monday, October 6.
He explained that the new transmission project forms a central part of the government’s efforts to decentralize power generation and improve electricity supply reliability across industrial and commercial hubs.
Adelabu said the proposed super grid will connect Nigeria’s eastern and western regions, linking areas with high concentrations of industrial users that had previously disconnected from the national grid due to its frequent failures.
 
“It’s part of plans to decentralise power generation in Nigeria and get the heavy commercial users that left the power grid because of its unreliability to return,” Adelabu stated.
He added that the Federal Executive Council (FEC) has already approved the project’s financing framework, paving the way for negotiations with China’s Exim Bank to proceed.
The minister noted that the new grid is expected to significantly improve transmission efficiency, reduce power losses, and strengthen electricity delivery to manufacturing and industrial zones. Nigeria’s national grid has suffered repeated collapses over the years, often caused by low generation capacity, poor maintenance, and transmission bottlenecks, leaving businesses and households across the country in prolonged darkness.
Adelabu also highlighted the financial improvements in the electricity sector following the recent tariff reforms, which increased rates for urban consumers. According to him, the adjustment led to a 70% rise in industry revenues in 2024, with projections showing a further 41% increase this year to ₦2.4 trillion ($1.6 billion).
He emphasized that the government’s long-term strategy is to build a reliable, decentralized power infrastructure that can sustain economic growth and restore confidence among industrial power users.
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Natasha Returns As Senate Resumes Plenary Today

Kogi Central senator, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan has finally returned to the Senate.

She returned on Tuesday as the red chamber resumed after a 10-week recess.

Recall that the upper legislative chamber had on July 24, 2025, adjourned plenary to proceed on its annual recess and resume on September 23, 2025.
The Senate resumed plenary on Tuesday with Deputy Senate President Barau Jibrin presiding over the session.
Natasha, who is returning after a six-month suspension was present, while Senate President Godswill Akpabio was absent at the time of resumption.
Despite his absence, the plenary saw a significant turnout of senators, signaling a full return to legislative activities.
In a show of international solidarity, some senators arrived at the chamber dressed in Palestinian colours and attire, advocating for a free Palestine.
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Trade Fair Demolition: Temper Law With Compassion – Peter Obi to Lagos Govt

Peter Obi, the 2023 Labour Party presidential candidate has sent a message to the Lagos State government over demolition of structures in the state.
He urged the government to temper enforcement with mercy.
He said that being legally correct is not a substitute for being morally right.
This comes after he visited the site of the demolished ASPAMDA Market at the Trade Fair Complex, which he criticised and described the razing of traders’ plazas as a test of the state’s commitment to justice and human dignity.
Last week, the Lagos State Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Gbenga Omotoso, said Obi launched into emotional theatrics when he described the incident as “a test of impunity, justice and compassion.”
The Commissioner justified the demolition as constitutional, noting that the affected traders got ample time to regularise their papers when the state government declared a general amnesty last year, which was extended several times.
In a statement on his X handle on Tuesday, Obi warned that the law must never be wielded in a way that inflicts “undeserved pain” or destroys livelihoods when less destructive remedies exist.
Obi recalled a personal experience abroad to illustrate his point, saying governments should pursue formal legal remedies rather than waking up one morning to demolish homes or businesses.
“Those seeking to justify the current demolitions in Aspamda Market, Lagos, and similar situations across Nigeria must be reminded that the law is not an end in itself; it is a means to ensure order, peace, and the protection of human dignity.
 
“When the law becomes an instrument to inflict undeserved pain – enforced without compassion or regard for human welfare – it ceases to serve justice.
 
“Even if, for the sake of argument, some of the affected traders failed to obtain the proper approvals, which is unlikely, was demolition the only option? If opportunities for regularisation truly existed, as some have argued, why were they not pursued?
 
“Does it truly serve justice to destroy billions of naira worth of investments and livelihoods when less destructive remedies could have sufficed?” He asked.

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