President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has departed Abuja for Rome, Italy, to attend the Aqaba Process Heads of State and Government Level Meeting, a high-level security summit just as the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) announced a two-week warning strike across all federal universities in Nigeria.
According to a statement by presidential spokesman Bayo Onanuga, the meeting, which begins on October 14, will focus on strategies to tackle terrorism and the growing security crisis in West Africa. However, the statement did not disclose when the President is expected to return to the country.
The trip comes at a sensitive time for Nigeria, as citizens continue to grapple with multiple domestic challenges, including insecurity, economic hardship, and industrial unrest.
Meanwhile, ASUU’s National President, Professor Chris Piwuna, announced the commencement of the two-week warning strike during a press briefing in Abuja on Sunday.
He explained that the industrial action follows the Federal Government’s continued failure to address long-standing issues affecting the university system ranging from poor funding and unpaid entitlements to unfulfilled agreements from previous negotiations. “Consequently, all branches of ASUU are hereby directed to withdraw their services with effect from midnight on Monday, October 13, 2025. The warning strike shall be total and comprehensive as agreed at the last NEC meeting,” Piwuna declared.
The strike is expected to halt academic activities across the country’s federal universities, rekindling concerns about the recurring disruptions that have plagued Nigeria’s higher education sector for years.
President Tinubu’s latest trip marks his third international engagement in recent months, following visits to Brazil and France. Critics have accused the President of spending too much time abroad while pressing national issues such as insecurity, inflation, and education remain unresolved.
As the President engages global leaders in Rome on regional security, many Nigerians hope his administration will show the same urgency in addressing the crises unfolding at home.