AAUA Strike Suspended: Ondo University Workers Return From September 29

The AAUA strike and the wider shutdown of Ondo State’s three public universities have been suspended, with non-teaching staff at Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba-Akoko (AAUA), Olusegun Agagu University of Science and Technology, Okitipupa (OAUSTECH) and the University of Medical Sciences, Ondo (UNIMED) returning to work from Tuesday, 29 September 2026. The Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU), the Non-Academic Staff Union (NASU) and the National Association of Academic Technologists (NAAT), acting together as the Joint Action Congress of Ondo State Tertiary Institutions (JAC-ODSTI), called off the indefinite strike they began on 2 September after the state government stepped in with money.

The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) branch at AAUA has also decided to return to the classrooms. Its chairman, Prof. Boluwaji Oshodi, said “the government of Ondo State has intervened financially, and a congress to direct all our members to resume academic activities has been scheduled.”

What ended the AAUA strike after four weeks

The breakthrough came through Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa’s financial intervention, which the unions credited alongside the Commissioner for Education, Prof. Igbekele Ajibefun, and the governor’s Special Adviser, Bola Taiwo. The state has not published the amount it released, and the unions have not said which of their financial demands have now been met in full.

The deal took a while to land. On 22 September, JAC-ODSTI rejected an earlier agreement between the government and ASUU at AAUA because the three non-teaching unions had not been part of those talks. At the time, the congress said it was standing on its demand for “payment of the FGN/Unions Agreement with effect from August 2026, and payment of the outstanding arrears from January 2026 to date.” Students at AAUA had also staged protests at the university gates and on the highway over the closure.

When AAUA, OAUSTECH and UNIMED students should expect lectures

Staff going back to work doesn't mean lectures restart the same morning. ASUU at AAUA still has to hold the congress that formally directs its members back to class, and the university senate is expected to release a revised academic calendar that sets new dates for lectures and any examinations interrupted by the shutdown. Until that calendar is out, you shouldn't rush back to campus on the strength of social media posts alone.

If you're at OAUSTECH or UNIMED, the picture is less clear. The union statements spell out ASUU's position at AAUA, but they don't set out how academic activities will restart at the other two schools, so your own management's notice is the one to wait for. It also helps to keep your portal login, school fees receipt and course registration details ready, because a compressed calendar usually means tight registration windows once the school reopens.

Why the suspension may not be the last word

The unions described the move as a suspension, not an end to the dispute. JAC-ODSTI said the decision was "intended to allow the process of resolving the outstanding issues to continue while academic and administrative activities resume." Union leaders also warned that the non-financial parts of the Federal Government-unions agreements, including subvention and welfare issues, remain unresolved and could lead to fresh industrial action if they are ignored.

Oshodi made a similar point for ASUU, saying "while our principal concern has always been the concrete implementation of agreements, the union has decided to return to the classrooms in the interest of our students and the stability of the academic system." For students who lost a month of the semester, the practical focus now is the new calendar and any money matters tied to it. If you're a student loan applicant, check that your records are in order, since the NELFUND 2026/2027 application window is open until the end of the year and schools have warned about data mismatches. Fresh admission seekers eyeing these schools should also keep an eye on the JAMB CAPS admission deadlines, which are running separately from the strike.