Public Sector Unionism and Policy Implementation in the Nigerian Education Sector

This study examines the relationship between public sector union activity and policy implementation in Nigeria's education sector, focusing on the Nigeria Union of Teachers and the Academic Staff Union of Universities and their influence on federal and state education reforms from 2015 to 2023. Public sector unions in Nigeria have been significant actors in shaping education policy through collective bargaining, industrial action, and political advocacy, yet their overall impact on education quality and reform implementation remains contested in the governance literature. Using a qualitative comparative design, the study analyses the outcomes of major labour disputes in the education sector across three geopolitical zones including the North Central, South West, and South East, drawing on union negotiation records, government responses, court decisions, and education policy implementation assessments. The industrial relations theory and the political economy of public sector unions are applied to evaluate unions' dual roles as worker advocates and policy implementation actors. Findings reveal that while unions have successfully secured improved remuneration for teachers and academic staff, their industrial actions have also resulted in significant cumulative disruptions to academic calendars, particularly in federal universities, with lasting consequences for student outcomes. The pattern of strike-negotiate-resolve without structural reform of the underlying governance failures that provoke disputes reflects a short-termism in both union and government behaviour. Recommendations include mandatory multi-year pay agreements that reduce the frequency of industrial action, independent educational governance councils that institutionalise union input into policy design, and performance accountability frameworks for union and government compliance with agreements. Keywords: public sector unionism, policy implementation, education sector, industrial action, Nigeria