Members of the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) have urged the Federal Government to accede to the union’s demands, or they would embark on a total and comprehensive strike on Friday, May 1, 2026.

Addressing a press conference on Tuesday at the University of Lagos (UNILAG) following the conclusion of the union’s congress, SSANU Chair, UNILAG chapter, Dr Razak Yusuf Ademola, urged the government to swiftly conclude the renegotiation with the union and address other welfare concerns.

He noted that the union had given the government ample time to address its demands, but nothing had been done.

Ademola urged the government to pay their wage award arrears, two months’ withheld salaries, the 35 percent salary arrears and earned allowances.

The SSANU Chief stated that the union rejected the 30 percent increase in consolidated salary structure because it didn’t emanate from a concluded negotiation and engagement between SSANU and the Federal Government. He added it was rejected because it seemed to stampede the ongoing renegotiation process.

Education Minister Dr Tunji Alausa, in a letter addressed to the National Universities Commission, National Commission for Colleges of Education, and National Board for Technical Education, announced a 30 per cent pay rise for non-academics in Federal Government-controlled universities, polytechnics, and colleges of education.

“We have tried everything possible to make the federal government do the needful and accede to our demands. We have been on the matter for a very long time. Instead of doing the needful, the government came up with a 30 per cent increase in the Consolidated Salary Structure that did not emanate from any agreement reached with us. Anyway, we have outrightly rejected that,” he said.

“What we are asking the government to do is the payment of the arrears of our wage awards, the payment of our two months withheld salaries, the payment of our 35 percent salary arrears, the payment of our earned allowances and improved funding of our universities.

“Some people may wonder why we rejected the 30 percent increase in the consolidated salary structure; it was done like a kind of fiat by the government. It didn’t emanate from a concluded negotiation and engagement between SSANU and the federal government. It was not discussed, agreed upon, or endorsed by the leadership of SSANU. It was an arbitrary imposition on us, without transparency or justification.

“It was rejected because it seems to be stampeding the ongoing renegotiation process, and it was also rejected because it treats non-teaching staff as if our welfare can be decided without our input, as if we are second-class citizens in the university system,” he said.

Ademola said the union looked forward to the meeting scheduled for Wednesday, April 29, adding that if it doesn’t have a favourable outcome, they would be left with no option than to down tools as from Friday. (The Nation)

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