SSANU, NASU Issue Seven-Day Ultimatum to FG Over Welfare Demands, Threaten Nationwide Strike

The Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) and the Non-Academic Staff Union of Universities and Allied Institutions (NASU) have issued a seven-day ultimatum to the Federal Government over unresolved welfare concerns, warning of a nationwide strike if their demands remain unmet.

In a joint letter signed by SSANU President Muhammed Ibrahim, the unions condemned what they described as the unjust disbursement of earned allowances, the non-payment of outstanding allowances, withheld salaries and the delay in implementing agreed salary increments.

Ibrahim recalled that the Joint Action Committee (JAC) of NASU and SSANU had earlier written to the government on June 18, 2025, highlighting unresolved labour matters. That letter prompted a meeting with the Minister of Education on July 4, 2025.

“For the avoidance of doubt, the issues raised in the letter centred on the unjust disbursement of N50 billion earned allowances, the non-payment of outstanding withheld salaries and the 25/35 per cent salary increments, as well as the renegotiation of the 2009 FGN/NASU/SSANU agreements” the unions stated.

At the July meeting, it was agreed that a Tripartite Committee comprising the Ministry of Education, the National Universities Commission and JAC would address the alleged skewed distribution of the N50 billion earned allowances. The unions argued that their members were shortchanged while staff of Inter-University Centres were completely excluded.

They noted that the meeting did not resolve the issue of two months’ withheld salaries but the government pledged to expedite action on the arrears of the 25/35 per cent salary increments. Despite sending a reminder on August 18, 2025, the unions said no progress has been made.

On the stalled renegotiation of the 2009 agreement, the unions expressed frustration that the Federal Government had sidelined them. They recalled that the Yayale Ahmed-led Renegotiation Committee inaugurated on October 15, 2024, only met with JAC once on December 10, 2024, after which the process stalled. They alleged that while their concerns were ignored, the same government team had already concluded renegotiations with the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU).

“In light of the persistent unresolved issues and the apparent lack of responsiveness from the government to our legitimate concerns, we are compelled to serve a formal notice of seven days effective from Monday, September 15, 2025, failing which members of NASU and SSANU would embark on a series of legitimate industrial actions including strikes to press home our demands” the unions wrote.

Last week, Ibrahim warned that the looming strike could be crippling. “Ours will not be the ‘mother of all strikes,’ it will be the grandfather of all strikes, because when SSANU or NASU strikes, you know what it means. We must take our destinies in our hands” he declared.

He also lamented the plight of non-academic staff, stressing that their conditions of service were among the worst hit financially, economically and psychologically.

Both unions have long been at loggerheads with the Federal Government over welfare, allowances and conditions of service, mirroring the struggles of their academic counterparts in ASUU.