The Joint Action Committee, representing the Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions (NASU) and the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU), has announced an indefinite shutdown of all university activities nationwide, beginning today. This move comes in response to the Federal Government’s failure to meet their demands, which include the release of four months of withheld salaries, improved remuneration, earned allowances, and the implementation of a 2009 agreement.
According to a statement released on Sunday, signed by SSANU National President Mohammed Ibrahim and NASU General Secretary Prince Peters Adeyemi, the unions’ ultimatum to the Federal Government expired at midnight on Sunday. The unions assert that after multiple ultimatums, protests, and warning strikes, their grievances remain unresolved.
The Federal Government previously invoked a “No Work, No Pay” policy when university unions staged a prolonged strike in 2022, affecting both academic and non-teaching staff. Although President Bola Tinubu ordered the payment of half the withheld salaries for academic staff last October, non-teaching staff were excluded, which the unions decried as unfair and selective.
In their recent statement, the unions instructed all NASU and SSANU branches in both federal and state universities to fully comply
This latest strike stems from the government’s “No Work, No Pay” policy, implemented during a prolonged strike by all four university-based unions in 2022. Although President Bola Tinubu directed payment of four of the eight months’ withheld salaries for academic staff, the directive was silent on non-teaching staff, raising concerns of bias. The unions criticized the selective approach, pointing out that the exclusion left them in financial hardship. While the government had, in March, promised to address their issues, it has yet to deliver, the unions said.
The statement directed NASU and SSANU branches nationwide to comply strictly with the strike, including branches at federal and state-owned institutions and inter-university centers. It specified that the union members handle crucial campus functions, such as water supply, electricity, communication, security, and finance, sparking fears of an immediate impact on university operations.
SSANU President Ibrahim noted that if the government addresses the salary issue today, the strike would be called off immediately. However, with the Education Ministry’s silence amid an ongoing ministerial handover, efforts to reach the ministry for comment on the unions’ grievances have gone unanswered. As the transition to the new Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, is expected to finalize on Wednesday, it remains unclear whether the new leadership will prioritize addressing the concerns raised by the striking unions.
The unions maintain that their demands are not only legitimate but overdue, citing the government’s initial promises made in the 2022 Memorandum of Understanding, which remains largely unimplemented. The statement reflects frustration with what union leaders describe as the government’s “prolonged silence and lack of accountability,” which they argue has left thousands of non-teaching staff across the country financially strained.
JAC’s call for action further urged state-owned universities to integrate their local demands into the broader strike. This inclusion could potentially extend the impact of the strike to nearly all universities across Nigeria, significantly disrupting academic activities and vital university operations. The unions insist that until their demands are fully met, there will be no concessions.
The unions also highlighted their members’ role in managing critical campus operations, stressing that without the non-teaching staff, universities may face operational paralysis. Our members oversee water supply, electricity, internet, security, and financial administration. This strike may severely disrupt campus life,” Ibrahim stated, suggesting that the strike’s effects could be felt almost immediately.
Meanwhile, some university administrators and stakeholders have expressed concern over the strike’s timing, given the academic calendar and the potential impact on students’ progress and university functions. With no immediate response from the Ministry of Education, many students and staff are left in limbo, unsure of when normalcy will resume.
The transition to Dr. Tunji Alausa as the new Minister of Education, slated for Wednesday, comes as students, parents, and faculty hope for a prompt resolution. Observers anticipate that the new minister’s stance and priorities on labor relations within universities will be critical to breaking the current impasse. The unions have voiced hope that the new administration will act swiftly, but their decision to move forward with an indefinite strike signals a lack of confidence in yet another transition without concrete commitments.
As universities brace for this indefinite shutdown, the situation underscores ongoing challenges within Nigeria’s educational sector, where prolonged disputes over labor issues continue to impact millions of students and staff alike.
