The Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) has issued a strong warning to the Federal Government, threatening a total and comprehensive strike action in 2026 if the government fails to conclude renegotiations and present a “credible and realistic” offer to non-teaching staff before December 31, 2025.
This resolution was part of a communiqué released on Monday after the union’s 53rd National Executive Council (NEC) meeting, held at the University of Jos, Plateau State.
In the communiqué signed by its National President, Mohammed Ibrahim, SSANU accused the Federal Government of marginalising non-teaching staff in the disbursement of Earned Allowances and the renegotiation process.
Ibrahim said, “NEC expressed strong dissatisfaction with the longstanding marginalisation of non-teaching staff in both the payment of Earned Allowances and the government’s renegotiation engagements.
“The Council insists that the ₦50 billion agreed upon in the 2022 MoU/MoA must be released without further delay and that Inter-University Centres and research institutes, wrongly excluded in previous disbursements, must be fully included in the next payment.”
SSANU further accused the government of giving preferential treatment to other categories of university staff, stating that the pattern reflects “a deliberate and persistent exclusion of non-teaching staff.”
The union warned that failure to meet the December 31 deadline would trigger a system-wide industrial action in 2026.
“If the government fails to conclude credible renegotiations and present a realistic offer by December 31st, 2025, SSANU will be compelled to initiate total, comprehensive, and system-wide industrial action in 2026 to defend the rights and dignity of its members,” Ibrahim added.
The union also raised alarm over the rising insecurity in educational institutions, particularly citing recent abductions in Niger and Kebbi States.
“NEC expressed deep concern over the worsening insecurity across the country, especially the spike in kidnappings targeting schools and university environments,” he said.
The Council called for modern surveillance systems, improved perimeter protection, and enhanced campus security infrastructure, urging both federal and state governments to take immediate action.
SSANU also warned against proposed public-private partnerships (PPP) and the divestment of municipal services within universities, arguing that such measures could endanger job security.
The communiqué stated, “The Council reaffirmed SSANU’s firm position that no staff must lose their jobs, be replaced, downgraded, or pushed into inferior employment conditions.
“Any attempt to impose PPP measures without safeguarding staff welfare will be met with decisive resistance from the union.”
Beyond university concerns, the union also reviewed the state of the nation, calling for urgent government intervention to address the collapse of key public sectors.
“Public health systems remain overstretched, with weak disease surveillance and inadequate emergency response mechanisms,” Ibrahim said.
He added that food insecurity, worsened by flooding and displacement, has reached critical levels, with over 27 million Nigerians affected.
“In light of these challenges, the Council calls for urgent, coordinated national action to rebuild essential systems,” he stated.
The union urged targeted support for farmers, investment in water and sanitation infrastructure, and strengthened health systems as necessary steps to ease citizen hardship and bolster national development.
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