The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) has warned state governors against allowing disputes over the implementation of the 2025 Federal Government-Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) agreement to plunge universities into another round of industrial crisis.

 

NANS, in a strongly worded statement signed by its President, Akinteye Afeez, said Nigerian students would no longer accept being made to bear the consequences of disagreements between university authorities, state governments and academic staff.

 

The warning followed ASUU’s National Executive Council (NEC) resolution authorising 20 affected university branches to issue 14-day ultimatums to relevant authorities over outstanding aspects of the 2025 agreement, with industrial action possible after the expiration of the ultimatum.

 

The students’ body expressed particular concern over the development, noting that Nasarawa State University, Keffi, had already commenced industrial action.

 

While acknowledging the right of university lecturers to demand the implementation of agreements reached with the government, NANS appealed to ASUU to reconsider any action that could lead to the closure of universities.

 

According to the association, repeated strikes have subjected students to prolonged academic disruptions, delayed graduation and extended programmes, with serious psychological and academic consequences.

 

NANS said it was particularly worried that only 20 university branches had been authorised to proceed with the 14-day ultimatum, stressing that failure by state governments to implement the agreement was a major issue in some of the affected institutions.

 

It therefore urged ASUU to direct its engagement towards the state governments and university authorities responsible for outstanding implementation rather than shutting down institutions and disrupting students’ education.

 

The association took a swipe at governors whose universities are affected, declaring that any governor who allows increased government allocations to states to coexist with unresolved staff welfare issues and university disruptions is “irresponsible and unfit” to govern.

 

NANS described the failure of such governors to meet their obligations as “gross insensitivity” towards both students and academic staff, warning that students should not be driven out of classrooms because of administrative failures.

 

It called on all affected state governments to immediately honour their responsibilities under the 2025 agreement, resolve outstanding issues with academic staff and ensure that all benefits due to eligible workers are paid without further delay.

 

The students’ body also warned that it would not stand by while innocent students were made to suffer the consequences of what it described as the “irresponsibility, ineptitude and callousness” of state governors.

 

“We appeal to these Governors to place the interests of students at the centre of their governance. The classroom must remain the last place where the consequences of an administrative failure are borne by innocent students,” NANS said.

 

The association, however, pledged to continue engaging ASUU, the Federal Government and university managements constructively, insisting that Nigerian students deserved an uninterrupted academic calendar.

 

The latest development comes amid growing tensions over the implementation of the 2025 government-ASUU agreement, with the threat of fresh industrial action raising concerns about another disruption of academic activities in the nation’s universities.