Academic activities across Lagos State’s tertiary institutions have ground to a halt following the declaration of a total and indefinite strike by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) Lagos State Government-owned Universities Joint Campus Group on Tuesday.
The industrial action affects the three state-funded institutions: Lagos State University (LASU), Lagos State University of Education (LASUED), and Lagos State University of Science and Technology (LASUSTECH). The branch leaders confirmed that the action carries the full endorsement of the ASUU national leadership, following prior communications to governing councils, university administrations, and state Visitors.
The decision followed the lapse of a 14-day ultimatum issued to the Lagos State Government on 31 August 2026. Union representatives noted that the government permitted the deadline to expire without initiating formal dialogue, despite a final warning issued on 10 September stating that “silence is no longer an option.”
Jointly issued by ASUU-LASU Steering Committee Coordinator Olusegun Babalola, ASUU-LASUED Acting Chairman Grace Abimbola, and ASUU-LASUSTECH Chairman Murisiku Onigemo, the declaration confirmed: “Following the expiration of the 14-day ultimatum issued to the Lagos State Government on 31 August 2026, the Academic Staff Union of Universities Joint Campus Group—comprising Lagos State University, Lagos State University of Education, and Lagos State University of Science and Technology—hereby declares a total, comprehensive and indefinite strike action effective immediately.”
At the centre of the dispute is the union’s demand for the “full domestication and implementation of the December 2025 ASUU-FGN Agreement across all Lagos State-owned universities.” This framework encompasses key welfare commitments alongside the Consolidated Academic Tools Allowance for both active and retired academic staff. Lagos now joins a growing list of state-owned universities taking industrial action to compel regional authorities to adopt the federal accord.
While describing the shutdown as a “rescue mission for Lagos State education,” the union stated that the strike will persist until the state government signs and fully implements the 2025 accord. While appealing to traditional rulers, religious leaders, alumni associations, and civil society groups for support, ASUU urged students and parents to remain peaceful, reaffirming its commitment “to constructive dialogue and to the swift restoration of normal academic activities as soon as these outstanding issues are addressed.”