Two major labor unions representing non-academic staff in Nigerian universities have delivered a stern seven-day notice to the federal government, demanding immediate action on lingering issues or risk a nationwide indefinite strike that could paralyze higher education institutions.
The Joint Action Committee (JAC) of the Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions (NASU) and the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) outlined their concerns in a formal communication to the Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa.
The unions highlighted several unresolved matters, including the non-payment of withheld salaries, outstanding arrears from a 25/35 percent salary increase approved earlier this year, and what they term an “inequitable” distribution of a ₦50 billion earned allowances fund.
According to union leaders, non-teaching staff in universities received a disproportionately small share of the allowances, while those in inter-university centers were entirely overlooked.
“This skewed allocation has deepened frustrations among our members,” stated SSANU President Muhammed Ibrahim in the letter. NASU President Prince Peters Adeyemi co-signed the document, emphasizing the government’s apparent inaction despite prior engagements.
The ultimatum follows a series of unmet commitments. A meeting held on July 4, 2025, between the unions and the education ministry resulted in an agreement to form a tripartite committee involving the Federal Ministry of Education, the National Universities Commission, and the JAC to address the allowances dispute. However, the unions report no substantial progress since then. A follow-up reminder sent on August 18, 2025, also went unheeded.
Additionally, the unions expressed dissatisfaction with the stalled renegotiation of the 2009 agreements between the federal government and non-teaching staff unions.
While negotiations with the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) have reportedly advanced to near-completion, the committee led by Alhaji Yayale Ahmed, inaugurated in October 2024, has not convened with NASU and SSANU since an initial session in December 2024. “We have resubmitted our demands, yet we remain sidelined,” the letter noted.
The seven-day countdown began on September 15, 2025, giving the government until September 22 to resolve these issues. Failure to do so, the unions warned, would lead to “a series of legitimate industrial actions, including strikes.”
Ibrahim, speaking separately, described the potential action as “total, indefinite, and absolute,” underscoring the severe economic and psychological toll on university workers.
This development escalates tensions in Nigeria’s education sector, where ASUU is already in a parallel standoff with the government over similar welfare concerns.
Analysts fear that a combined strike by academic and non-academic staff could disrupt university operations, delay graduations, and exacerbate job market challenges for students.
The Ministry of Education has yet to respond publicly to the ultimatum. Union representatives urge swift dialogue to avert what could become a major crisis in tertiary education.
