University Operations At Risk As Workers Launch Indefinite Strike Over Unpaid Salaries
The Joint Action Committee (JAC) of the Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions (NASU) and the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) has declared an indefinite strike, effectively halting activities across universities nationwide starting Monday.
In a statement released on Sunday, SSANU National President Mohammed Ibrahim and NASU General Secretary Prince Peters Adeyemi announced the decision after their ultimatum to the Federal Government expired without action on their demands. These demands include payment of four months’ withheld salaries, improved remuneration, earned allowances, and the implementation of longstanding agreements dating back to 2009.
This move follows the Federal Government’s enforcement of the “No Work, No Pay” policy during a prolonged university strike in 2022, resulting in withheld salaries for university staff. In February, four months’ salaries were restored to academic staff following a directive from President Bola Tinubu, though non-teaching staff were notably excluded. Since then, NASU and SSANU have repeatedly engaged the government through ultimatums, protests, and short warning strikes, seeking equal treatment for all university staff.
In July 2024, the unions organized a peaceful protest at the Unity Fountain in Abuja, followed by a ten-day ultimatum for the payment of their salaries, but the government failed to meet their demands. After multiple unproductive interactions and a recent seven-day ultimatum earlier in October, the unions decided to move forward with an indefinite strike.
The unions’ statement urged state-owned universities to join the strike and incorporate local grievances into their demands. It added that union members are essential to the functioning of campus facilities like water, electricity, internet, and security, potentially leading to a campus-wide halt of operations if the government fails to address the grievances swiftly.
SSANU President Ibrahim emphasized that, if the withheld salaries were released, the strike would be immediately suspended. However, as of the latest reports, efforts to reach the Federal Ministry of Education for comment on the strike have been unsuccessful. The transition of the education ministry from the outgoing Minister Prof. Mamman Tahir to Dr. Tunji Alausa is scheduled for Wednesday, creating a potential vacuum in immediate government response.
The unions stressed that they had exhausted all options, issuing multiple ultimatums with no concrete resolution, despite government promises to address their concerns. They further cited statements from the Education Ministry in July, claiming the salaries were “receiving attention,” but months later, the situation remains unresolved.
In response, JAC members across universities and inter-university centers nationwide are directed to hold congresses on their campuses and fully comply with the indefinite strike mandate. With campuses’ essential operations at risk of shutdown, the unions’ strike may soon place increased pressure on the government to meet their longstanding demands and avert further disruptions to Nigeria’s higher education system.
