Strike: SSANU, NASU Extend Ultimatum to FG Over Unresolved Welfare Issues
The Joint Action Committee (JAC) of the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) and the Non-Academic Staff Union (NASU) has extended its ultimatum to the Federal Government by two weeks, warning of industrial action if their unresolved demands are not addressed.
🔍 Background & What Led to the Extension
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The two unions had earlier issued a seven-day ultimatum, effective from 15 September 2025, demanding resolution of long-standing welfare issues. Their demands include:
• The unjust disbursement of the ₦50 billion earned allowances (alleged skewed distribution)
• Non-payment of outstanding allowances and withheld salaries
• Payment of the 25/35% salary increments arrears for non-teaching staff
• Renegotiation of the 2009 FG-NASU/SSANU agreements, which the unions claim has been delayed or ignored (-
A meeting was held on 19 September 2025 between union leaders and a government committee (chaired by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Education, Abel Enitan) which also involved representatives from NUC, the Ministry of Labour, and others. However, according to the unions, no concrete resolutions were reached during that meeting. That impasse prompted the extension of the ultimatum.
🕰 Timeline & Next Steps
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| 15 Sept 2025 | Original 7-day ultimatum started |
| 19 Sept 2025 | Consultative meeting between unions and FG committee |
| 22 Sept 2025 | JAC meeting to evaluate government response |
| 24 Sept 2025 | Unions announce 2-week extension of ultimatum |
The extended ultimatum gives the government additional time to act on the unions’ demands. But the unions have warned: if the demands are not met by the end of this period, they will launch a series of legitimate industrial actions.
⚠️ Implications & What’s at Stake
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Academic disruption risk: If the industrial action proceeds, many universities and inter-university centres could face partial or full shutdowns affecting students, research, and academic calendars.
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Morale & staff welfare: Unresolved grievances may lead to demotivation and protests among non-teaching staff who already face financial pressure.
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Government credibility: The Federal Government will be judged by its response — whether it can show genuine engagement, fair treatment, and timely resolutions.
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Precedent: How this is handled might set a template for how non-teaching staff demands are handled in future, especially relative to how ASUU (teaching staff) are treated.
✅ Conclusion & Call
By extending their ultimatum, SSANU and NASU are signalling they prefer dialogue and patience — but they are clearly running out of time. The ball is now in the court of the Federal Government. If concessions are delayed further, the stage may be set for serious industrial action that could ripple across Nigeria’s tertiary education sector.
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