The Congress of University Academics (CONUA) has declared that the outcome of the just concluded 2009 Agreement between the Federal Government and the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) is not in any way binding on its members across the country.

The National President of the union, Dr Niyi Sunmonu, gave this hint in an exclusive interview with Tribune Online.

CONUA is a breakaway group from ASUU and registered as an independent union during the tenure of Chris Ngige as Minister of Labour and Employment, and since then functioning independently.

According to Sunmonu, CONUA’s team is already engaging with the Federal Government’s Renegotiation Committee, chaired by Dr Yayale Ahmed, a former head of service of the federation on the said 2009 agreement, and they are yet to conclude the renegotiation.

He stated that though the committee had originally excluded CONUA in the renegotiation process, it has since extended the discussion with the union separately as an independent body, and the discussion is still ongoing.

Sunmonu argued that since the 2009 Agreement was entered into by ASUU on behalf of all academic staff in Nigerian public universities when CONUA was yet to be founded, the current reality of having another recognised academic union in the system has naturally made it important to factor all of them in any new agreement.

He argued further that “The renegotiation of the 2009 Agreement is not even just about revisiting past commitments, but about shaping the future of academic labour relations, service conditions, and institutional stability in Nigeria’s higher education sector.”

He said it is not only that no union other than CONUA can be able to negotiate properly for its members, but it is also better for the government to bring a broader perspective to look at each of the issues in contention, rather than a narrow idea by ASUU that has not been working over the years for the university system.

“That is why having a union like CONUA is a great value addition to the system, and also having the government engage in discussion with CONUA and every other legitimate union in the system will also promote principles of fairness, inclusiveness, and democratic engagement, as enshrined in the ILO Convention and ratified by the Federal Government of Nigeria, within the university system.

Sunmonu noted that some progress had been recorded on each of the issues on the table, which include proper funding, good remuneration and welfare package for academics, better conditions of service, university autonomy and so forth.

Explaining the current stage of the renegotiation, he said, “CONUA has submitted its positions on each of the issues to the committee and we have also been informed about two weeks ago that the government had met on our issues.

“What is left now is the union awaiting the government’s offers on each of the issues for us to review them and go back to the table for further engagements.

“So, we hope to conclude on the renegotiations latest before the end of January 2026.”

Sunmonu, however, pledged CONUA’s continued commitment to constructive engagement, academic excellence, and sustainable reform in the Nigerian university system. (Tribune)