The Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities and the Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions have reaffirmed the SSANU and NASU strike suspension, maintaining that the planned industrial action remains on hold while negotiations with the Federal Government continue over unresolved welfare and salary issues.
SSANU and NASU had earlier threatened a nationwide strike across public universities over delays in renegotiating the 2009 agreement with the Federal Government and concerns relating to workers’ welfare.
The unions had also raised objections to salary adjustment proposals presented during negotiations, arguing that the offers did not fully address long-standing concerns surrounding wages, allowances, and working conditions for non-academic university staff.
The dispute forms part of broader labour tensions within Nigeria’s tertiary education sector, where unions have repeatedly demanded improved funding, infrastructure, and welfare support for workers.
Speaking in Abuja, SSANU National President Mohammed Ibrahim stated that the SSANU and NASU strike suspension would continue following fresh assurances from the Federal Government’s Expanded Tertiary Institutions Renegotiation Committee.
According to him, the government committed to concluding renegotiation discussions and signing relevant agreements within a two-week period. Ibrahim stated that the unions decided to temporarily suspend the planned strike to allow room for dialogue and completion of negotiations already underway.
He explained that meetings held with the renegotiation committee led by former Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Yayale Ahmed, produced commitments from government representatives to address pending issues affecting university workers.
The unions directed branch leaders nationwide to formally communicate the continuation of the SSANU and NASU strike suspension to members across federal universities while discussions proceed. Among the issues listed by the unions are salary reviews, payment of earned allowances and arrears, implementation of negotiated agreements, and improvement of welfare conditions for non-academic staff.
The unions also maintained that the SSANU and NASU strike suspension remains conditional, warning that failure to fulfil agreed commitments within the stated timeline could result in renewed industrial action. University administrative activities had previously been disrupted during earlier phases of the dispute, affecting student services, hostel management, finance departments, and other non-academic operations.
The continuation of the SSANU and NASU strike suspension may help stabilise operations across public universities in the short term while negotiations continue.
However, unresolved labour issues within the education sector remain a concern, particularly as unions continue to demand implementation of agreements and improved welfare conditions. The situation also reflects ongoing challenges in labour relations between tertiary institution unions and the Federal Government.
