Members of the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) have threatened to withdraw their services if the federal government failed to meet their demands.
The union has extended its ultimatum by seven days to “allow the government room to respond.”
The Joint Action Committee (JAC) of SSANU and the Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions (NASU) had issued a seven day ultimatum beginning from 15th September 2025, to the federal government to meet its outstanding demands.
The demands include: renegotiation of the 2009 FG/SSANU agreement, non-payment of withheld salaries and unjust disbursement of warned allowances.
In a communique signed by its National President, Comrade Mohammed Ibrahim at the end of its 52nd National Executive (NEC) meeting at Alvan Ikoku Federal University of Education, Owerri Imo state, the university workers expressed displeasure over government’s continued silence, as the ultimatum draws closer.
The communique reads, “NEC expresses deep disappointment over the continued silence and inaction of the Federal Government’s Renegotiation Committee regarding the 2009 FG/SSANU Agreement. NEC strongly calls on the government to honour the two weeks extension given by JAC of SSANU/NASU in order to avert the impending industrial crisis in the university system.
“NEC strongly condemns the continued withholding of salaries of SSANU members who participated in the 2022 industrial action.
“NEC therefore, urges the Federal Government to immediately release the outstanding two (2) months withheld salaries as a demonstration of good faith and commitment to restoring industrial harmony within the University system.
“NEC also notes that third-party deductions from the already paid two months of withheld salaries have yet to be remitted and therefore calls for the immediate release of these funds.
“NEC expresses deep concern over the Federal Government’s persistent disregard for Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs), Memoranda of Action (MoAs), and other duly negotiated collective bargaining agreements entered into with SSANU.”
The union reiterated that such agreements, reached through structured dialogue and mutual consent, are binding and must be honoured in full.
The SSANU warned that if this pattern of neglect continued, it will have no choice but to “explore all lawful and appropriate avenues to compel compliance.”
The union also condemned the formula adopted for the disbursements of earned allowances (EA) that was released by the government.
It alleged that the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) had a larger share of the released EA.
The union further said, “SSANU frowns at the inequitable and negligible allocation of the N50 billion Earned Allowance, wherein only 20% which amounts to N10 billion was allotted to the three (3) non-teaching unions (SSANU, NASU & NAAT) as against the N50 billion agreed in the signed MoU/MoA before the suspension of the 2022 industrial action.
“This allocation is unjust, discriminatory, and fails to acknowledge the indispensable role SSANU members play in the effective functioning of Nigerian Universities.
“It is also in breach of the MoU/MoA signed with the Joint Action Committee (JAC) of NASU and SSANU in August 2022. NEC calls for an immediate release of the balance of ₦40 billion Earned Allowance to reflect principles of fairness, equity, and inclusiveness across all non-teaching staff unions of universities and Inter-University Centres in line with the Memorandum of Understanding and Memorandum of Action signed with the unions.”
The union also deliberated on the state of the health sector and other sectors in the country.
Thenation
