The Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) and the Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions (NASU), have informed the federal government of plans to shut down public universities on 22 September if their demands are not addressed.
The threat was contained in a 7-day ultimatum by the two unions through their Joint Action Committee (JAC), which started on 15 September.
Some of the contentious issues prompting the industrial action include the non-renegotiation of the 2009 Agreements, the exclusion of the inter-university centres in the disbursement of the N50 billion earned allowances, and the non-payment of the two months’ withheld salaries.
JAC, in a letter addressed to the Minister of Education, titled: ‘Recall for urgent intervention in outstanding labour matters affecting NASU and SSANU members in the Universities and Inter-University centres’, accused the minister of treating non-teaching staff unions with levity.
The letter, dated 12 September 2025, by NASU General Secretary, Prince Peters A. Adeyemi and SSANU President, Comrade Mohammed Haruna Ibrahim.
It read: ‘The minister of education would recall that vide a letter, dated June 18, 2025, the Joint Action Committee, JAC, of NASU and SSANU had drawn your kind attention to the need for an urgent intervention in outstanding labour matters affecting our members.
‘Our letter led to the convening of a meeting by the minister of education with JAC of NASU and SSANU on 4 July 2025, with a view to addressing the issues raised in our letter.
‘For the avoidance of doubt, the issues raised in the letter centred on: Unjust Disbursement of N50 billion earned allowances; non-payment of outstanding withheld salaries and 25/35% salary increments; and renegotiation of 2009 FGN and NASU/SSANU Agreements.
‘The minister would recall that at the 4 July 2025 meeting to address the aforestated issues, there was a resolution to the effect that a tripartite committee comprising representatives from the Federal Ministry of Education, National Universities Commission and JAC of NASU and SSANU would be constituted to resolve the impasse which had arisen due to the skewed distribution of the N50billion Earned Allowances in which our members in the Universities were shortchanged, while those in the Inter-University centres were completely shut out of the distribution.
‘While there was no conclusion at the 4 July 2025 meeting on the issue of payment of two months’ outstanding withheld salaries owed our members, you pledged to set machinery in motion to expedite action on the issue of payment of arrears of 25/35% salary increments owed our members.
‘Sequel to the 4 July 2025, meeting, there was a reminder letter dated 18 August 2025, owing to the silence or deliberate decision by your office not to address issues affecting Non-Teaching staff in our universities and Inter-University centres’.
The two unions noted with dismay that the renegotiation of 2009 FGN and NASU/SSANU Agreements had been delayed without any justification.
Consequently, the unions said: ‘In light of the persistent unresolved issues, and the apparent lack of responsiveness from the government to our legitimate concerns, we are compelled to serve a formal notice of seven (7) days effective from Monday, 15 September 2025 to address our agitations, failing which members of NASU and SSANU would embark on a series of legitimate industrial actions including strikes to press home our demands’.
