A fresh crisis is brewing in Nigeria's university system as SSANU has threatened to go on strike. The non-academic staff body, responsible for the day-to-day running of universities, issued a 14-day ultimatum to the Federal Government to release funds for the implementation of the recently signed 2026 Agreement. This includes settlement of outstanding arrears. The ultimatum was issued at SSANU's 56th National Executive Council meeting held at the University of Uyo, Akwa Ibom State.
SSANU's national president, Comrade Mohammed Ibrahim, signed a communiqué after the meeting, expressing the union's grievances. The union insisted that the arrears constitute legitimate financial entitlements of affected members and must be paid in full without further delay. The issues bothering the union include the non-implementation of the 2026 FGN/SSANU Agreement, funding of universities, security, the economy, and cost of living.
The union noted that the implementation of the 2026 FGN/SSANU Agreement, which took effect from January 1, 2026, has commenced in some universities. However, the implementation remains incomplete and uneven across the university system due to funding and administrative challenges. SSANU demanded the immediate release and payment of all outstanding arrears arising from the implementation of the 2026 FGN/SSANU CONTTA salary structure.
The Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, has assured that the funds would be released on or before next week. This may provide some lifeline to avert the strike. The strike threat comes at a time when the nation's universities are still grappling with various challenges, including inadequate funding, poor infrastructure, and low morale among staff.
SSANU's issues are not limited to the implementation of the 2026 Agreement. The union is also concerned about the state of public education, accreditation of university programmes, food security, technology, and cybersecurity, energy, and the rule of law. The union's national president emphasized that the issues are critical to the well-being of the nation's universities and the economy.
The 2026 FGN/SSANU Agreement was formally signed on June 29, 2026, but took effect from January 1, 2026. The agreement aims to improve the welfare of university staff and enhance the overall quality of education in Nigeria's universities. However, the implementation has been slow, and the union is pressing for immediate action.
The strike threat by SSANU comes as a warning to the Federal Government to take urgent action to address the challenges facing the nation's universities. The union's ultimatum is a clear indication that the patience of university staff is wearing thin. The government must act quickly to release the funds and implement the agreement to avert a potential strike that could disrupt academic activities in Nigeria's universities.
Key points
- SSANU issues 14-day ultimatum to FG over implementation of 2026 Agreement.
- Union demands release of funds for outstanding arrears.
- Minister of Education assures of fund release to avert strike.
