Zainab Abioye
The Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities, SSANU, has issued the Federal Government a 14-day ultimatum to pay outstanding salary arrears owed its members or face an indefinite strike.
The union said it would have no option but to commence industrial action without further notice if the government failed to address its demands within the stipulated period.
SSANU National President, Mohammed Ibrahim, disclosed this in a communique issued in Abuja on Monday at the end of the association’s 56th National Executive Council meeting.
The meeting, held at the University of Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, between September 30 and October 1, deliberated on staff welfare, university funding and the implementation of the 2026 Federal Government of Nigeria/SSANU agreement.
At the meeting, the union demanded the immediate payment of arrears arising from the implementation of the 2026 FGN/SSANU CONTTA salary structure.
Ibrahim said the salary adjustment should be calculated from January 1, 2026, stressing that the affected workers had waited long enough for payments due to them.
He said, “NEC categorically demanded the immediate release and payment of all outstanding arrears arising from the implementation of the 2026 FGN/SSANU CONTTA salary structure, calculated from the effective date of Jan. 1, 2026.”
The union also disclosed that some universities had commenced implementation of the new salary structure with their internally generated revenue despite the absence of direct financial support from the Federal Government.
SSANU consequently urged vice-chancellors and governing councils of institutions that were yet to implement the agreement to follow the example of universities that had already commenced compliance.
Beyond the 2026 salary structure, the union demanded the payment of two months’ salaries allegedly withheld from its members following the 2022 industrial action.
It also demanded the payment of outstanding arrears arising from the 25 per cent and 35 per cent salary increases.
According to the union, the outstanding payments constitute legitimate entitlements of affected workers, adding that the prolonged delay had further worsened the financial pressures confronting its members.
SSANU also raised concerns over disparities in the implementation of the agreement in state-owned universities.
The union called on state governments to provide adequate funding to enable their universities to implement the agreement and ensure that staff in the institutions are not disadvantaged.
The association warned that the Federal Government’s response during the 14-day window would determine its next line of action.
The development could further disrupt activities in Nigeria’s public universities if the government and the union fail to reach an agreement before the expiration of the ultimatum.
SSANU’s threat comes against the backdrop of persistent disputes between university-based unions and successive governments over salaries, withheld wages, funding, staff welfare and the implementation of agreements reached with the Federal Government.
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