Nigeria, Jan. 10 -- The Nigerian government and the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) will on Wednesday, 14 January, sign the renegotiated 2009 agreement, raising optimism of an end to a decade-old rift between both parties.

The government has sent out invitations mandating vice-chancellors of all federal universities to attend the event to be held at the Ministry of Education, according to an invitation by the Director of University Education, Rakiya Iliyasu.

"I am directed to invite you to the official ceremony for the signing of the agreement between the federal government of Nigeria and the Academic Staff Union of Universities," the invite reads in part as seen by this newspaper.

Ms Iliyasu described the event as a 'criti...