The strike was declared following the expiration of an ultimatum issued to the government, with union leaders SSANU President Mohammed Ibrahim and NASU General Secretary Prince Peters Adeyemi expressing frustration over continued delays. The unions cited unmet promises despite dialogues, letters, and multiple warning strikes. Their demands also include improved remuneration, earned allowances, and broader benefits.
The Federal Government’s “No Work, No Pay” policy, enforced during a prolonged university strike in 2022, initially targeted academic staff, but the unions contend it unjustly impacted non-teaching staff. In February, President Bola Tinubu approved a partial payment to academic staff, yet left non-teaching staff waiting, prompting the unions to issue repeated ultimatums that yielded no results.
NASU and SSANU emphasized that the strike will disrupt essential campus services, with their members controlling water, electricity, communication, internet, security, and financial operations. “If the government pays what is owed by tomorrow, the strike will end,” said Ibrahim.
In July, the unions had staged a protest and issued a final three-week ultimatum. They recently confirmed that President Tinubu approved the payment of the withheld salaries in July, but noted that government officials failed to follow through.
As the strike begins, the unions directed state universities to incorporate local demands and maintain strict compliance with the nationwide action. Attempts to obtain a response from the Federal Ministry of Education on the unions’ demands were unsuccessful as of Sunday.
