The Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) has issued a fresh warning to the Federal Government, threatening industrial action if lingering disputes in the university system are not resolved before the end of April.
The warning followed the union’s 54th National Executive Council (NEC) meeting held at Ekiti State University between March 26 and March 27, 2026.
In a communiqué released on Sunday, SSANU expressed concern over the slow pace of renegotiations between the government and non-teaching unions, describing the prolonged discussions as unacceptable.
The communiqué, signed by the SSANU National President, Mohammed Ibrahim, gave the Federal Government an ultimatum from April 1 to April 30, 2026, to conclude the renegotiation process and sign the agreement.
The union warned that failure to meet the deadline would trigger industrial action, stressing that the decision would be jointly enforced with other university unions.
SSANU also decried persistent salary delays affecting staff in federal and some state universities, noting that the recurring delays had imposed hardship on workers and weakened morale.
The union demanded immediate payment of outstanding salaries and called for the adoption of a unified and reliable salary payment structure, recommending the use of the Remita platform.
On earned allowances, the council criticised the Federal Government’s handling of the N50 billion disbursement approved in 2022, expressing dissatisfaction over what it described as incomplete implementation.
It also faulted the exclusion of Inter-University Centres and Research Institutes from previous disbursements, urging authorities to ensure fairness in future payments.
Addressing broader economic challenges, SSANU highlighted the impact of inflation and rising living costs on workers, calling for wage reviews and social protection measures to cushion economic hardship.
The union further raised concerns over persistent underfunding of universities, warning that the situation had contributed to decaying infrastructure, poor service delivery, and weak support for teaching and research activities.
It called on the government to prioritise education through transparent and adequate funding of public universities.
SSANU also expressed concern over insecurity across the country, citing increasing incidents of terrorism, kidnapping, and communal violence, and urged authorities to strengthen security within and around university campuses.
The union called for improved surveillance systems, better lighting, and rapid-response mechanisms to enhance campus safety.
On reforms, SSANU rejected public-private partnership arrangements that could threaten job security, warning against policies that might lead to job losses or casualisation of university workers.
The union reaffirmed its commitment to working with the Nigeria Labour Congress and urged its members to remain united and disciplined while awaiting government action.
SSANU stressed that failure by the government to address its demands would compel the union to embark on lawful industrial action, raising fears of another nationwide disruption in Nigeria’s university system.
