The Honourable Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, has issued a clarification on his statement regarding agreements between the Federal Government of Nigeria (FGN) and the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU). Speaking on August 28, 2025, during an interaction with the press, the Minister explained that his remarks were in reference to the unsigned 2021 draft document.
“For the avoidance of doubt, the FGN-ASUU Agreement was last signed in 2009. That agreement remains the most recent signed and binding agreement between the Federal Government and ASUU,” Dr. Alausa stated.
The clarification comes amid renewed public debate over the long-standing dispute between the Federal Government and ASUU, a matter that has affected the stability of Nigeria’s higher education system. The Minister noted that in 2017, the then Honourable Minister of Education, Mallam Adamu Adamu, inaugurated a renegotiation committee to review the 2009 agreement. This process produced the draft Nimi Briggs Agreement in May 2021. However, the Federal Government did not sign the draft.
“When I said there had been no new signed agreement with ASUU, I was referring specifically to the 2021 draft Nimi Briggs document, which has not been formally executed,” Dr. Alausa explained.
The Ministry of Education further reaffirmed that the 2009 FGN-ASUU Agreement remains the last formally signed agreement, while the 2021 draft serves only as a framework for ongoing discussions. The Minister stressed that the Federal Government is committed to ending the 16-year stalemate with ASUU in a way that is sustainable and constitutionally backed, ensuring universities remain open for teaching, learning, and research.
The Ministry urged stakeholders and the public to disregard any misinterpretations and assured that under the Renewed Hope Agenda, the government remains firm in its commitment to resolving the issues with ASUU.