From Victor Osula, Abuja
The Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) has issued a one-month ultimatum to the Federal Government to conclude the long-standing renegotiation of the 2009 agreement, warning that failure to do so may plunge the university system into fresh industrial unrest.
The union issued the warning in a communiqué released on Sunday in Abuja at the end of its 54th National Executive Council (NEC) meeting held at Ekiti State University.
The communiqué was signed by the SSANU National President, Mr. Muhammad Ibrahim.
SSANU expressed concern over what it described as the slow and inconclusive nature of the renegotiation process involving non-teaching staff unions, stressing that the absence of clear timelines and firm commitments from government was worsening tension in the tertiary education sector.
According to Ibrahim, the Federal Government must urgently reconvene and conclude the renegotiation process in a fair, transparent, and time-bound manner to ensure stability in universities across the country.
“In view of this, SSANU hereby issues a final ultimatum to the Federal Government from April 1 to April 30, 2026, to conclude the renegotiation process and sign the agreement,” he said.
He warned that failure to meet the deadline would leave the union with no option but to collaborate with its partner in the Joint Action Committee (JAC) of NASU and SSANU to commence an indefinite industrial action.
The SSANU president also raised concerns over persistent delays in salary payments and non-payment of increments, noting that the situation had aggravated hardship among members.
He called for the immediate settlement of all outstanding arrears and urged the adoption of a unified salary payment platform, recommending Remita for transparency and efficiency.
Ibrahim further alleged the exclusion of some categories of university and research institute workers from the N50 billion earned allowances approved in 2022, insisting that all eligible staff must benefit without discrimination.
He urged the Federal Government to urgently address rising inflation through periodic wage reviews and stronger social protection measures for workers in the education sector.
The union also decried the chronic underfunding of universities, linking it to decaying infrastructure, poor service delivery, and increasing strain on both academic and non-academic staff.
On campus security, SSANU called for improved surveillance and enhanced protection for staff and students amid rising safety concerns across tertiary institutions.
It further warned that weak digital infrastructure and inadequate research funding could undermine Nigeria’s global academic competitiveness, urging sustained investment in innovation and technology-driven education.
However, the union rejected Public-Private Partnership arrangements capable of leading to job losses, instead calling for sustained dialogue through a standing consultative mechanism between government and university-based unions to prevent recurring industrial disputes.
