The Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) and the Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions (NASU) have extended their ultimatum to the Federal Government, insisting that they would embark on strike if their long-standing grievances remain unaddressed. The unions, under the Joint Action Committee (JAC), had earlier threatened industrial action over issues bordering on unpaid salaries, allowances, and welfare packages.
According to the unions, despite repeated engagements with government officials, there has been little progress in resolving their concerns. They argued that while promises were made, the implementation has been slow, leaving their members frustrated and demoralized. The extension of the ultimatum, they said, was a show of good faith, giving the government additional time to act before they are forced to down tools.
Among the key issues raised are the withheld four months’ salaries arising from the government’s “No Work, No Pay” policy during the last strike, as well as the demand for payment of earned allowances to non-academic staff across universities. The unions also decried the alleged discrimination in the allocation of funds within the university system, stressing that their members continue to suffer neglect compared to their academic counterparts.
NASU and SSANU also reiterated their concerns over poor funding of universities, inadequate working conditions, and failure to review career progression structures that would ensure fairness and equity for non-teaching staff. They maintained that without urgent intervention, the crisis in the nation’s tertiary education sector could deepen, affecting administrative, technical, and support services essential to university operations.
Leaders of the JAC stated that they are not interested in disrupting the academic calendar but warned that their patience should not be mistaken for weakness. They emphasized that non-academic staff play a vital role in sustaining the university system, and any strike action would paralyze critical services, including laboratories, hostels, and administrative offices.
The unions, however, appealed to President Bola Tinubu’s administration to demonstrate sincerity by meeting their demands, stressing that dialogue without concrete outcomes would only heighten tensions. They also urged the Ministry of Education and other relevant stakeholders to prioritize the welfare of all categories of university workers in order to ensure industrial harmony.
With the extended ultimatum now in place, the ball appears firmly in the government’s court. As the countdown continues, the fate of Nigeria’s university system once again hangs in the balance, with students and parents anxiously watching developments that could either bring relief or trigger another round of disruption.
