The Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) and the Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions (NASU) have threatened to shut down public universities nationwide on September 22 if the federal government fails to meet their demands. The warning was contained in a 7-day ultimatum issued by the Joint Action Committee (JAC) of both unions, which took effect on September 15. Among the grievances are the non-renegotiation of the 2009 FGN/NASU/SSANU Agreements, exclusion of inter-university centres from the disbursement of the 50 billion earned allowances, and non-payment of two months withheld salaries. In a letter addressed to the Minister of Education and titled Re: Call for urgent intervention in outstanding labour matters affecting NASU and SSANU members in the Universities and Inter-University centres, JAC accused the minister of levity in handling non-teaching staff welfare. The letter, dated September 12, 2025, was signed by NASU General Secretary, Prince Peters A. Adeyemi, and SSANU President, Comrade Mohammed Haruna Ibrahim. It read:The minister of education would recall that vide a letter dated June 18, 2025, the Joint Action Committee of NASU and SSANU had drawn your kind attention to the need for an urgent intervention in outstanding labour matters affecting our members. Our letter led to the convening of a meeting by the minister of education with JAC of NASU and SSANU on July 4, 2025, with a view to addressing the issues raised. For the avoidance of doubt, the issues raised centred on: unjust disbursement of 50 billion earned allowances; non-payment of outstanding withheld salaries and 25/35% salary increments; and renegotiation of the 2009 FGN and NASU/SSANU Agreements. The unions said although a resolution was reached on July 4 to set up a tripartite committee comprising the Federal Ministry of Education, the National Universities Commission (NUC), and JAC to address the skewed disbursement of the 50 billion allowances, nothing has been done since then. They added that while no conclusion was reached at the meeting on the payment of two months withheld salaries, the minister pledged to expedite action on the arrears of the 25/35% salary increment. Sequel to the July 4 meeting, there was a reminder letter dated August 18, 2025, owing to the silence or deliberate decision by your office not to address issues affecting non-teaching staff in our universities and inter-university centres, the unions wrote. They further expressed dismay at the prolonged delay in renegotiating the 2009 Agreements, saying it had no justification. Consequently, they declared:In light of the persistent unresolved issues, and the apparent lack of responsiveness from the government to our legitimate concerns, we are compelled to serve a formal notice of seven (7) days effective from Monday, September 15, 2025, to address our agitations, failing which members of NASU and SSANU would embark on a series of legitimate industrial actions, including strikes, to press home our demands.
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