University Senior Staff Threaten Indefinite Strike Over Salary Arrears
ABUJA, NIGERIA—Nigerian public universities face another imminent shutdown as the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) has issued a 14-day ultimatum to the Federal Government to settle all outstanding salary entitlements.
The industrial action warning, effective Monday, October 5, 2026, gives the government until October 19 to comply or face a total and indefinite withdrawal of services by senior non-teaching staff across the federation.
According to a communique released by SSANU President Mohammed Ibrahim after the union’s 56th National Executive Council (NEC) meeting, the core dispute stems from the non-payment of arrears related to the 2026 FGN/SSANU CONTTA salary structure, which was legally slated to take effect on January 1, 2026.
In addition to the new salary structure arrears, SSANU is demanding the immediate release of two months’ withheld salaries dating back to the union’s 2022 industrial action and payment of outstanding arrears accrued from the previously agreed 25% and 35% salary upward reviews.
“The prolonged delay in payment has exacerbated the extreme financial hardship already being faced by our members across the country,” the Union states.
Call to State Governments and Institution Subsidies
The union, however, commended a few federal universities that took the initiative to internally fund compliance with the agreements. And urged lagging institutions to emulate them immediately.
They called on state governments to step up funding for state-owned universities, noting that infrastructure and staff welfare in state institutions require urgent intervention.
Beyond immediate financial compensation, the NEC communique highlighted critical deficits in the learning environment. SSANU demanded massive capital investments in campus electricity grids and alternative power solutions, modern laboratories and well-equipped physical libraries, and routine infrastructure maintenance.
