Government Orders ‘No Work, No Pay’ as Lecturers Begin Two-Week Warning Strike
Tension continues to mount across Nigerian universities as the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) embarks on a two-week warning strike, which began at midnight on Monday, October 13, 2025.
In response, the Federal Government directed all university managements to immediately implement the ‘No Work, No Pay’ policy against striking lecturers. The directive, signed by the Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, reiterated that any staff who fail to perform official duties during the strike period will not be entitled to wages.
“In line with extant provisions of labour laws, the Federal Government reiterates its position on the enforcement of the ‘No Work, No Pay’ policy in respect of any employee who fails to discharge his or her official duties during the period of strike action,” the circular partly read.
The government also ordered vice-chancellors to conduct headcounts and submit attendance records to ensure full compliance.
NELFUND Reassures Students: “Our Operations Will Not Be Affected”
Amid growing concern from students and parents, the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) has assured stakeholders that the ongoing industrial action will not disrupt its operations.
Speaking on Channels Television’s breakfast programme, The Morning Brief, on Tuesday, NELFUND Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Akintunde Sawyerr, expressed optimism that the Federal Government’s negotiations with ASUU would produce fair and positive outcomes under the leadership of Dr. Alausa.
“As you are aware, the strike has only just commenced, and I know that under the excellent leadership of the Honourable Minister for Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, the negotiations will continue to move forward,” Sawyerr said.
The Fund, over the weekend, approved a final reopening of its loan application portal — accessible from 12:00 a.m. on Sunday, October 12, to 12:00 a.m. on Tuesday, October 14 — to enable tertiary institutions that were yet to complete their student verification exercise to do so.
According to a statement issued in Abuja by Oseyemi Oluwatuyi, Director of Strategic Communications at NELFUND, the short-term extension was designed to ensure that all eligible students are verified and captured as part of the ongoing 2024/2025 student loan application process.
Reiterating NELFUND’s commitment to continuity, Sawyerr stressed that the strike would not derail the agency’s plans:
“NELFUND remains confident that the ministry’s plans will seek to be fair and equitable and will derive the right results,” he said.
“This development will not impact our operations because what the Federal Government has done with NELFUND is put a scheme in place that will address, in many ways, some of the issues in education.”
NELFUND waiting on Education Minister for Director
He further emphasized that the agency’s priority is ensuring that students do not bear the brunt of the ongoing standoff.
“The reality of it is that we don’t want to see students affected negatively in any way,” Sawyerr stated. “Having said that, we need to be very close to the discussions and look closely at how this unfolds for us to begin to make pronouncements as to what will be affected by NELFUND.”
Sawyerr also noted that the agency is seeking direction from the Education Minister before taking any further decisions.
“We are seeking guidance from the Honourable Minister, who is our leader in this regard, and I will take guidance from him as to the way this should move forward,” he said.
“As of today, it will not affect upkeep, but the negotiations are ongoing, and we must be responsive to that.”
He concluded by reaffirming the government’s broader commitment to sustaining education reform:
“I don’t want to make any pronouncements till I hear from the Honourable Minister, who will provide guidance because this is all part of the package to ensure education must work in Nigeria.”
ASUU Rejects Threats, Declares ‘We Won’t Be Intimidated’
Meanwhile, ASUU has dismissed the government’s ‘No Work, No Pay’ directive, vowing not to bow to what it described as intimidation or division tactics.
Speaking on Channels Television’s Politics Today, ASUU President, Chris Piwuna, maintained the union’s resolve to continue with the strike until its demands are addressed.
“We don’t respond to threats, and nobody can threaten us,” he said firmly.
Piwuna also accused the government of attempting to divide the academic community by selectively engaging other academic bodies such as the National Association of Medical and Dental Academics (NAMDA) and the Congress of Nigerian University Academics (CONUA).
“He is threatening us, writing to NAMDA and CONUA, telling them they can get their salaries. He wants to divide us, but we are united in this matter,”
Piwuna added.
NLC Joins the Fray as FG Defends Its Position
The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has thrown its weight behind ASUU, condemning the Federal Government’s enforcement of the ‘No Work, No Pay’ rule. NLC President Joe Ajaero described the move as “unjust and provocative,” urging the government to return to genuine dialogue.
The Minister of Education, however, insists that the administration has met virtually all of ASUU’s key demands including the release of ₦50 billion in earned academic allowances. He therefore called on the union to reconsider its stance.
“The Federal Government has fulfilled its obligations; there’s no need for another strike. Dialogue must continue for the sake of our students,”
Dr. Alausa said.
Balancing Hope and Frustration
For thousands of Nigerian students already anxious about delayed semesters and interrupted studies, NELFUND’s reassurance provides a measure of relief. But beyond that assurance lies a deeper national question — how long will Nigeria’s higher education system continue to be caught between recurring strikes and policy promises?
As negotiations continue in Abuja, the fate of millions of students remains uncertain. For now, one message resonates clearly from NELFUND’s leadership:
“Our students must not suffer.”