Nigerian lecturers end nine-month strike

A union representing lecturers in Nigeria has announced the suspension of a nine-month strike that has crippled learning at public universities.

Prof Biodun Ogunyemi, the national president of the Academic Staff Union of Universities, told the BBC that the union decided to suspend the strike after “concrete agreements” were reached with the federal government on Tuesday.

Prof Ogunyemi said lecturers will return to the universities from Thursday but warned that the union would resume the strike action if the government failed to fulfil a return to work deal.

The union has been pushing the government to implement a 2009 agreement that promised equipment for universities and an increase in lecturers’ pay.

The union said students will be invited back to universities after measures are put in place to prevent the spread of Covid-19.