Raphael Kanu
The nation’s universities are on the brink of disruption as the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) and the Non-Academic Staff Union (NASU) have extended their strike ultimatum to the Federal Government by two weeks, citing unresolved welfare issues.
Both unions had initially issued a seven-day warning demanding urgent attention to grievances, including unjust disbursement of earned allowances and non-payment of outstanding entitlements. The Federal Government’s inaction has forced the leadership to give what they call a final opportunity for resolution.
In a joint letter signed by SSANU President Muhammed Ibrahim, the unions emphasized that the government had been alerted to these issues as far back as June 18, 2025, prompting a meeting with the Minister of Education, Tunji Alausa, on July 4, 2025.
“The government, on receiving our ultimatum, constituted a joint consultative committee to look into our agitations. The committee met on Friday, 19th September, 2025… The meeting’s deliberations focused on our demands, but concrete resolutions of our requests have not been met, necessitating the continuation of discussions,” the letter stated.
The consultative meeting was chaired by Abel Enitan, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Education, and attended by officials from the National Universities Commission (NUC), the Director of Tertiary Education, and the Director of Trade Union Services and Industrial Relations at the Ministry of Labour and Employment.
The unions warned that if the government fails to act within the extended two-week period, members will embark on a series of legitimate industrial actions, potentially bringing academic activities across the country to a halt.
“This extension provides the government with an opportunity to initiate the requisite processes to address our demands. If the government fails to do the needful within this extended period, the JAC will summarily proceed with a series of legitimate industrial actions upon expiration of the extension,” the letter added.
The ongoing standoff highlights mounting tension in Nigeria’s tertiary education sector, with staff demanding fair treatment, timely payment of allowances, and improved welfare conditions. As the clock ticks down, students, parents, and the academic community brace for potential disruption.