The 2009 agreement, the last formal pact between the government and ASUU, covers critical demands such as sustainable funding for universities, revitalization of the education system, payment of salary arrears, addressing stagnated promotions, unremitted third-party deductions, and tackling the victimization of academic staff. “We are engaging with ASUU with the highest level of mutual respect,” Alausa told journalists. “These are private conversations, and I won’t air them publicly, but I assure you, ASUU will not go on strike. We will keep our children in school. This is a responsible government.”
Alausa highlighted broader efforts to reform Nigeria’s education sector, including the transition of West African Examinations Council (WAEC) and National Examinations Council (NECO) exams to computer-based testing (CBT). This move, he explained, aims to curb examination malpractices and enhance educational quality. “CBT is a starting point to reduce malpractices, which disincentivize hardworking students,” he said. “By November this year, WAEC’s objective tests will be CBT, with essays remaining paper-based. By next year, both components will be fully CBT for both WAEC and NECO.”
The minister also addressed inclusivity in the CBT initiative, noting plans to support underserved communities and students with disabilities. “We have clear strategies to integrate these groups, including transporting students from areas lacking infrastructure to designated CBT centers,” Alausa added. He emphasized that CBT would improve students’ cognitive skills, exam preparation, and overall life outcomes.
Gender Inclusion Summit Highlights Women’s Leadership Gains
At the same summit, themed “New Voices and New Approaches for Accelerating an Inclusive Society,” the Minister of Women Affairs, Hajia Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim, celebrated Nigeria’s progress in gender inclusion. She revealed that women now lead over 40% of the country’s key commercial banks, with female executives occupying 22% of leadership roles nationwide—surpassing the global average of 20%. “A World Bank study estimates that closing the gender gap in labor force participation could add $229 billion to Nigeria’s GDP by 2030,” she noted.
Sulaiman-Ibrahim highlighted the Families First Initiative, which focuses on empowering women, protecting children, and supporting vulnerable households. She cited advancements in states like Adamawa, where women can now legally own and inherit land, participate in traditional council decision-making, and benefit from a dedicated court addressing early child marriage. “In Adamawa, women hold 100% of vice-chairperson positions across all 21 Local Government Councils, exceeding the 35% affirmative action benchmark,” she said. Similar strides were noted in Niger State, where all vice-chairmanship positions are reserved for women, and in Rivers State, where a 19-year-old woman recently won a councillorship seat.
L:R Rinmicit Aboki, Gender Lead, Albright Stonebridge Group; Olaniyi Yusuf, Mr. Olaniyi Yusuf, Chairman, Nigeria Economic Summit Group; Dr. Osasuyi Dirisu, Executive Director, Policy Innovation Centre; Dr. Tunji Alausa CON, The Honourable Minister, Federal Ministry of Education, Nigeria; Dr Kemi Dasilva Ibru, Founder, Women at Risk International Foundation; Dr. Usie Charles, Country Director, Plan International Nigeria, CO-Chair TAC; Mr. Udeme Ufot, Chairman, Policy Innovation Centre, at the Gender and Inclusion Summit 2025. Photo credit: Princess Etuk
Call for Collective Action on Inclusion
The summit, a platform for stakeholders to drive systemic change, featured calls for collective action. Udeme Ufot, Chairman of the Policy Innovation Centre, stressed the importance of amplifying marginalized voices, including rural women and youth, who face barriers like unemployment and underrepresentation. “Inclusion begins with listening,” Ufot said. “We must innovate, using data-driven social protection systems and financing models to break structural barriers for women entrepreneurs and small businesses.”
Niyi Yusuf, Chairman of the Nigerian Economic Summit Group, echoed this sentiment, emphasizing the need for new approaches to inclusion. “The voices of rural women, grassroots entrepreneurs, and young innovators must shape decisions that affect their lives,” he said. “This summit marks a milestone in our journey toward an inclusive Nigeria.”
The event underscored Nigeria’s ongoing efforts to address educational and gender disparities, with the government pledging to sustain dialogue with stakeholders to ensure stability in the education sector and promote inclusivity across all levels of society.