A critical educational standoff is unfolding in Nasarawa State, where government officials are desperately seeking to end a prolonged lecturer strike that threatens students' academic futures.

The Nasarawa State Government has passionately appealed to striking lecturers in state-owned tertiary institutions to suspend their ongoing industrial action, hoping to create space for meaningful negotiations and resolution.

Speaking during a press briefing in Lafia, Peter Ahemba, Senior Special Assistant to Governor Abdullahi Sule on Public Affairs, emphasized the urgent need to resume academic activities. 'We are already in January, and schools are expected to resume, yet we are faced with this strike. This situation is capable of affecting our children,' Ahemba stated firmly.

The Joint Unions of Nasarawa State Tertiary Institutions (JUNSTI) declared an indefinite strike on December 29, 2025, citing the state government's alleged failure to fully implement the New National Minimum Wage as previously agreed. Union Chairman Samson Kale Gbande highlighted multiple meetings with government officials on August 6, October 23, December 3, and December 15, 2025, where promises of wage implementation were made but not fulfilled.

The strike impacts three key institutions: Isa Mustapha Agwai I Polytechnic, College of Agriculture, Science and Technology, and the College of Education in Akwanga. Gbande expressed deep frustration, noting that 'despite the union's patience for over a year, these assurances have not translated into action.'

Government officials are now urging lecturers to suspend the strike to allow further negotiations, believing that continued dialogue offers the best path forward. 'I want to appeal to them to suspend the strike and allow room for further negotiations,' Ahemba emphasized, underscoring the potential educational disruption for students.

As tensions remain high, both sides appear committed to finding a resolution that addresses workers' concerns while minimizing academic interruptions. The coming weeks will be crucial in determining whether compromise can be reached and normal educational activities can resume.