The Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) has issued a strong warning of an indefinite strike, citing ongoing marginalisation and the non-payment of earned allowances as key grievances against the Federal Government. This development follows a series of ultimatums, including a recent two-week extension, amid accusations of discriminatory allocation of funds meant for non-teaching staff . The union’s National Executive Council (NEC) meeting in Owerri highlighted deep frustrations over breached agreements dating back to 2009.
SSANU, alongside the Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions (NASU), has repeatedly drawn attention to unresolved issues through their Joint Action Committee (JAC). In a letter dated June 18, 2025, to the Minister of Education, they flagged the “unjust disbursement of the earned allowances to staff of universities, non-payment of outstanding allowances,” among others, leading to a meeting on July 4, 2025 �. Despite pledges during that meeting to address arrears of 25/35 per cent salary increments, no concrete action followed, prompting a seven-day ultimatum effective September 15, 2025 ��.The unions stated: “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, 15th September, 2025 to address our agitations, failing which members of NASU and SSANU would embark on a series of legitimate industrial actions including strikes to press home our demands” �. Key demands include the renegotiation of the 2009 FGN/NASU/SSANU agreements, payment of outstanding withheld salaries from the 2022 strike, and fair distribution of the N50 billion earned allowances.
A major point of contention is the allocation of the N50 billion earned allowance, where only 20 per cent (N10 billion) was disbursed to SSANU, NASU, and the National Association of Academic Technologists (NAAT), breaching a prior MoU/MoA signed in August 2022. The communique from SSANU’s 52nd NEC, signed by President Comrade Mohammed Haruna Ibrahim, described this as “unjust, discriminatory, and fails to acknowledge the indispensable role SSANU members play in the effective functioning of Nigerian Universities. It is also in breach of the MoU/MoA signed with the Joint Action Committee (JAC) of NASU and SSANU in August 2022.”
SSANU demanded “an immediate release of the balance of ₦40 billion Earned Allowance to reflect principles of fairness, equity, and inclusiveness across all non-teaching staff unions of universities and Inter-University Centres in line with the Memorandum of Understanding and Memorandum of Action signed with the unions.”
The NEC also condemned “the continued withholding of salaries of SSANU members who participated in the 2022 industrial action” and expressed disappointment over the government’s silence on renegotiating the 2009 Agreement.
SSANU announced plans for an indefinite strike latest by October 6, 2025, after extending a prior ultimatum by two weeks, urging the government to “honor the two weeks extension given by JAC of SSANU/NASU in order to avert the impending industrial crisis in the university system.”
The union warned that “if the pattern of neglect continued, the Union will have no choice but to explore all lawful and appropriate avenues to compel compliance” regarding MoUs, MoAs, and collective bargaining agreements.
Beyond immediate welfare issues, SSANU raised alarms over national challenges like underfunded healthcare, insecurity, food shortages affecting 33.1 million Nigerians, and poor infrastructure, including the Abuja-Kaduna train derailment and floods in several states. This escalation risks paralyzing university administration, as non-teaching staff handle critical operations.
