Monday, November 10, 2025 - President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Comrade Joe Ajaero has called for unionization of private universities.
He tasked the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) to
begin the conversation around unionising private universities.
Ajaero spoke on Sunday during The Toyin Falola Interviews
Series tagged, "A conversation with the President of ASUU, Professor
Christopher Piwuna.
The virtual conversation featured ASUU President and other
members of the academic community who were discussing the incessant ASUU
strikes and how the tertiary education system can be stabilised.
The NLC President declared that the "incessant
harassment" of ASUU and its members must stop, wondering why the
government would sign an agreement willingly since 2009 without implementing
it.
Besides, he recalled that the creation of ASUU was meant to
spite the NLC and the government said the academic union must not be affiliated
to NLC because it is a senior staff association, adding that that
classification was challenged by the NLC and it won.
He stated that private universities were created to
undermine ASUU, adding that efforts must be made to unionise them.
Daily Trust reports that private universities have been
insulated from the recurring ASUU strikes because of the absence of ASUU or any
academic union in those universities.
He called for synergy among university unions to harmonise
their demands from the government.
ASUU President, Prof. Piwuna said universities can only have
the desired freedom if the staff have adequate facilities to work.
He stated that contrary to the insinuation in some quarters,
ASUU members are not selfish, saying they continue to endure all sorts of
intimidation from the government.
Professor Francis Egbokhare pointed out what he called
"ideological problem" between the government and ASUU, saying while
ASUU is thinking of how to improve the tertiary education system by demanding
for better welfare and facilities for teaching and research, the government is
thinking otherwise, looking at the role of unions from a different perspective.
He stated that there must be ideological convergence to
ensure the Nigerian people (students) do not continue to suffer.
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