The Senior Personnel Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) has actually issued a firm final notice to the Federal Government, demanding the conclusion of the long-awaited renegotiation of the 2009 arrangement by the end of April 2026, or risk an indefinite nationwide strike.
The union made this known in a communiqué released on Sunday in Abuja following its 54th National Executive Council (NEC) meeting held at Ekiti State University. The communiqué was signed by SSANU National President, Muhammad Ibrahim, who revealed deep frustration over what he referred to as prolonged hold-ups and lack of commitment from the federal government.
Ibrahim cautioned that failure to fulfill the April due date could paralyse activities throughout Nigerian universities. “In view of this, SSANU thus issues a last ultimatum to the federal government from April 1 to April 30, 2026, to conclude the renegotiation procedure and sign the arrangement,” he mentioned. “Ought to the federal government fail to do so within this duration, the union will have no alternative however to … commence an indefinite industrial action.”
The SSANU president criticised the speed of negotiations, describing them as slow and inconclusive, particularly for non-teaching personnel unions. He kept in mind the absence of clear timelines and firm commitments, advising the federal government to reconvene conversations and conclude the procedure in a “fair, transparent and time-bound manner.”
Beyond the renegotiation issue, the union decried consistent delays in salary payments and the non-implementation of salary increments, alerting that the circumstance has actually intensified financial difficulty amongst its members. Ibrahim called for the immediate settlement of outstanding wages and advocated for the adoption of a unified payment platform such as Remita to make sure consistency and openness.
SSANU likewise raised concerns over what it described as discriminatory practices in the disbursement of the N50 billion earned allowances authorized in 2022. The union declared that some classifications of employees were left out and insisted that all eligible staff throughout universities and research institutes must be consisted of without predisposition.
The union even more urged the Federal government to resolve the wider financial difficulties affecting employees, especially rising inflation, by carrying out wage evaluations and enhancing social security steps. It also highlighted chronic underfunding in the university system, connecting it to deteriorating infrastructure and declining service delivery.
On security, Ibrahim expressed concern over growing insecurity on campuses and nationwide, calling for boosted monitoring systems and more powerful protection for both staff and students. He also cautioned that weak digital infrastructure and inadequate research study financing might undermine Nigeria’s international academic competitiveness.
Additionally, SSANU declined Public-Private Collaboration (PPP) arrangements that might result in job losses and required continual engagement through a standing consultative mechanism to avoid repeating industrial disputes.
With the April deadline quickly approaching, tension is developing within the education sector, as stakeholders wait for the Federal Government’s response to avoid another potential disturbance in Nigeria’s already fragile university system.