Members of the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) and the Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions (NASU) have initiated an indefinite nationwide strike within public universities across Nigeria.
The unions demand the immediate release of four months of withheld salaries, accusing the Federal Government of discriminatory treatment.
In a joint statement issued on Sunday, October 27, 2024, SSANU President Mohammed Ibrahim and NASU General Secretary Peters Adeyemi voiced their frustration, describing the situation as “appalling.” They explained, “Despite issuing multiple ultimatums, the government has remained unresponsive.” The statement further directed union members in public universities to convene on Monday, October 28, 2024, and initiate a “comprehensive and total strike action.”
The ongoing dispute traces back to an eight-month strike in 2022 when SSANU, NASU, and the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) collectively pressed the Federal Government for improved welfare. Following this action, the government imposed a ‘No Work, No Pay’ policy on all unions. While ASUU members received their withheld salaries last October under President Bola Tinubu’s administration, SSANU and NASU assert they have been overlooked.
SSANU and NASU leaders condemned this alleged partial treatment. “It’s unfair and discriminatory to pay only ASUU, leaving us without a full salary,” they argued, highlighting the impact on non-academic staff and essential services within universities. Previously, SSANU and NASU members had staged protests, locking university gates and cutting electricity as part of warning strikes.
Former Education Minister Tahir Mamman had cited a “communication problem” as the reason for the delayed payment to SSANU and NASU members, insisting that no discrimination was intended.
With university operations likely to be disrupted, the unions’ strike puts additional pressure on the government, which has been urged to address the growing grievances among Nigeria’s non-academic university staff.
