Court Directs Registration Of New Non Teaching Staff Union In Universities
The National Industrial Court sitting in Abuja has ordered the Federal Government and the Registrar of Trade Unions to register the National Association of Non-Teaching Staff of Nigerian Universities as a trade union under the Trade Unions Act.
Justice Osatohanmwen Obaseki-Osaghae delivered the judgment in suit number NICN/ABJ/345/2023, filed by the association through Comrade Niyi Akinnibi. The defendants were the Registrar of Trade Unions, the Minister of Labour and Employment, and the Attorney General of the Federation.
The court declared that the refusal by the first and second defendants to register the association was wrongful. It issued a mandatory order directing the defendants to register the body forthwith and issue a certificate of registration. The court also granted a perpetual injunction restraining the defendants, their agents or any authority deriving power from them from denying the claimant registration as a trade union.
The judgment noted that members of the new association had pulled out of the Non-Academic Staff Union of Universities to form NANTS, with branches planned across federal and state universities nationwide.
This development adds to the history of labour disputes in Nigeria’s university system. The Trade Unions Act has long governed the registration and operations of unions, with courts intervening in recognition battles involving academic and non-academic staff groups. Similar cases in the past involved jurisdictional overlaps between bodies representing lecturers and support staff, often leading to prolonged negotiations or legal actions.
Nigeria currently operates more than 170 universities, comprising federal, state and private institutions. Data from the National Universities Commission indicate that non-teaching staff form a substantial portion of the workforce, handling administrative, technical, library, laboratory and maintenance functions. Recent estimates place the total university workforce in the hundreds of thousands, with non-teaching personnel frequently highlighting welfare gaps similar to those raised by academic unions during industrial actions.
The ruling comes at a time when the education sector continues to face funding pressures and periodic disruptions from labour disputes. Past strikes by groups such as the Academic Staff Union of Universities and the Non-Academic Staff Union of Universities have drawn attention to conditions affecting both teaching and support staff. The registration of NANTS could provide a dedicated platform for collective bargaining on issues specific to non-teaching roles.
The court order is expected to prompt compliance by the relevant government agencies. Legal observers anticipate that the development may influence ongoing discussions on staff welfare and could encourage other splinter groups within the university labour movement to seek formal recognition. The outcome also aligns with broader efforts to strengthen institutional frameworks for industrial harmony in tertiary education ahead of future academic calendars.