Strike Actions, Human Capital Development, and Institutional Productivity in Nigerian Public Universities: Evidence from ASUU–FGN Disputes (2010–2025)

Abstract

This study empirically investigates the tripartite impact of strike actions arising from the protracted disputes between the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) and the Federal Government of Nigeria (FGN). The study specifically examines the effect of ASUU-FGN strike actions, research productivity and institutional productivity in Nigerian public Universities from 2010 to 2025. Grounded exclusively in Human Capital Theory, which frames education as a critical investment, the research examines how industrial disruptions degrade this investment cycle. A descriptive survey design was employed, with data collected from 359 academic staff and final-year students across three selected public universities using a structured questionnaire. The sample was determined via the Taro Yamane formula, and data analysis utilized descriptive statistics and simple linear regression techniques in SPSS version 27. Findings reveal that strike actions exert a statistically significant negative effect on core university outputs: they impair students' academic progression and skill acquisition (β = -0.563, p<.001), diminish the research productivity of academic staff (β = -0.601, p<.001), and erode institutional productivity indicators such as graduation rates and academic calendar stability (β = -0.575, p<.001). The study concludes that while industrial action remains a legitimate bargaining tool, its recurrent and protracted use critically undermines the university's fundamental mandates of human capital formation and knowledge production, with severe long-term socioeconomic consequences. Key recommendations include establishing a legally-backed permanent dialogue mechanism, enforcing collective agreements, progressive increases in education funding to UNESCO benchmarks, mandatory alternative dispute resolution protocols, and the development of digital academic continuity plans to mitigate systemic disruption.