Strategic Conflict Management in Nigerian Public Universities During ASUU Strikes

This study examines strategic conflict management approaches during Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) industrial strikes, drawing on evidence from three federal universities in the South East and South West geopolitical zones of Nigeria. ASUU strikes represent among the most disruptive recurring conflicts in Nigerian higher education, with cumulative strike durations exceeding three years in the past decade alone, causing enormous educational, social, and economic costs. Using a professional practice research design, data were collected through in-depth interviews with 30 university management officials, ASUU branch officials, government negotiation team representatives, and student leaders who participated in or were affected by major ASUU conflicts between 2020 and 2024. The theoretical framework draws from strategic conflict management theory and collective bargaining theory. Findings indicate that the protracted nature of ASUU strikes is fundamentally attributable to the absence of proactive conflict management mechanisms, with both government and university management defaulting to reactive litigation and media strategy rather than sustained interest-based negotiation. Joint university-government monitoring committees established as part of previous agreements have rarely functioned as designed. Recommendations include establishing a permanent joint ASUU-Government conflict management council with binding arbitration provisions, requiring universities to implement internal conflict management strategies that address grievances before national escalation, and training university management in principled collective bargaining techniques. Keywords: ASUU strikes, conflict management, public universities, Nigeria, collective bargaining.