The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), Joint Campus Council (JCC), Ondo State Axis, has suspended its planned protest scheduled for Tuesday, August 18, 2026, in Akure, following what it described as positive intervention by the Ondo State Government to address challenges affecting tertiary education in the state.

In a statement made available to journalists by the Chairman, Comrade Adekanye Mayomi (INEC), General Secretary, Comrade Oladele Oluwafemi (Fresh Diamond), and Public Relations Officer, Comrade Johnpaul Alabi (Makins), the association noted that the decision followed a constructive engagement with the Ondo State Government over the prolonged disruption of academic activities and hardship being experienced by students across the state.

NANS said its earlier decision to mobilise students for the protest was driven by concerns over the prolonged disruption of academic activities, stressing that “the future of Nigerian students must not be left on hold.”

According to the association, its leadership, led by Adekanye, engaged the Ondo State Government on the challenges confronting students and the urgent need for intervention to restore stability to the state’s tertiary institutions.

The student body said the government had responded with significant commitments aimed at strengthening state-owned tertiary institutions and addressing some of the issues at the centre of the ongoing industrial crisis.

It disclosed that Governor Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa had approved an immediate 60 per cent increase in the monthly subventions to all state-owned tertiary institutions in Ondo State.

NANS said the increase was expected to strengthen the institutions’ capacity to meet their financial obligations, facilitate prompt payment of salaries and improve the overall learning environment.

The association also said the governor had approved the immediate implementation of the agreement reached between the Federal Government and relevant university unions across all applicable state-owned tertiary institutions.

It described the two measures as important steps towards addressing the welfare concerns of academic staff, restoring industrial harmony and creating an environment conducive to uninterrupted academic activities.

The association said its responsibility as the umbrella body representing students across campuses in Ondo State was not limited to protests, but also included dialogue, negotiation and demanding concrete solutions whenever the interests of students were threatened.

“As the umbrella body representing Nigerian students across campuses in Ondo State, our responsibility is not merely to protest, but to engage, negotiate and demand concrete solutions whenever the interests of our students are threatened,” it said.

NANS, therefore, welcomed the intervention by the state government and appreciated its willingness to engage with the student body, leading to the suspension of the planned protest.

“Consequently, the planned protest scheduled for 18th August 2026 is hereby suspended,” the association declared.

NANS, however, warned that the suspension should not be interpreted as a withdrawal of its demands or a relaxation of its vigilance, insisting that the resolutions announced by the government must be fully implemented without unnecessary delay.

“We expect the resolutions announced by the government to be implemented fully and without unnecessary delay, particularly the approved 60 per cent increase in subventions and the implementation of the FG/Unions agreement,” it said.

The association further called on the management of the tertiary institutions and other relevant stakeholders to ensure that the interventions resulted in tangible improvements in staff welfare and, most importantly, the academic experience of students.

It commended the Ondo State Government for choosing dialogue and concrete intervention at what it described as a critical moment for tertiary education in the state.

“Nigerian students have suffered enough disruptions. Our classrooms must reopen. Our academic calendars must regain stability. Our future cannot remain on hold,” NANS said.

The association added that it would continue to monitor the implementation of the resolutions and remain committed to constructive engagement with the government, tertiary institutions and other stakeholders in the interest of students.

“This is not the end of our advocacy; it is a step towards achieving the result we seek,” the association stated. (Vanguard)

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