Beginning Friday, 1 May, the non-academic staff of Nigerian universities will commence a nationwide industrial action, putting an end to the bragging rights of the President Bola Tinubu-led administration of halting the hitherto frequent workers’ strikes in the university system.
Two major unions, under the umbrella of the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) and the Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions (NASU), on Thursday issued a letter to their branches nationwide directing their members to commence indefinite strike action.
This is in response to the failure of the government to complete the ongoing 2009 agreement renegotiation with the unions, among other demands.
The directive, signed by the President of SSANU and the General Secretary of NASU- Mohammed Ibrahim and Peters Adeyemi, respectively, is reproduced below:
JOINT ACTION COMMITTEE OF NASU AND SSANU c/o NASU LIAISON OFFICE, 14 ONITSHA CRESCENT. OFF GIMBIYA STREET, AREA 11, GARKI, ABUJA
Our Ref: JAC/NSNOL./68
30 April 2026
Circular to All Branch Chairmen. NASU & SSANU in the Universities & Inter-University Centres.
Commencement of Strike Action.
The National leadership of the Joint Action Committee (JAC) of NASU & SSANU held a meeting yesterday with the Minister of Education, Dr. Maruf Tunji Alausa.
The following Government Officials were also at the meeting, the Minister of State for Education, Prof. Suwaiba Ahmad, the Permanent Secretaries, Federal Ministry of Education, Mr. Abel O. Enitan; the Executive Secretaries, National Universities Commission (NUC), Prof. Abdullahi Y. Ribadu and National Commission for Colleges of Education (NCCE), Dr. Mrs. Angela Ajala as well as other top officials of other Government Parastatals and Agencies.
The discussion at the meeting centred on the slow pace of the Renegotiation of 2009 Agreements for the Non-Teaching Staff Unions and our demand for its conclusion not later than 30th April, 2026. It also highlighted our rejection of the 30% CONTTA award letter in circulation.
It is necessary to inform members that, while the government team passionately appealed to the Joint Action Committee of NASU and SSANU to rescind the strike notice, they have also withdrawn the 30% CONTTA award letter. There was however, no new offer superseding the 30% CONTTA award, or a definite commitment on when the renegotiation exercise would be concluded.
However, given the mandate of members that only the full approval of our demands contained in our letters referenced JAC/NS/VOL.III/63 and JAC/NS/VOL.III/65 dated 27th March and 18th April, 2026 respectively would be acceptable, leadership after due consultation, resolved to stand by that mandate.
In view of this we hereby direct our members to commence TOTAL AND COMPREHENSIVE STRIKE ACTION in all our Universities and Inter-University Centres campuses from 12:00a.m. of 1st May, 2026.
All NASU & SSANU members are hereby enjoined to comply with this directive for the survival of our existence in the system.
Please be informed that National Monitoring Teams have been set up by the National JAC to monitor the effectiveness of the strike. Any branch of NASU & SSANU in the Federal Universities, Inter-University Centres as well as State Universities found culpable of granting concessions or breaching the strike will be severely sanctioned.
We solicit your total and unequivocal support in this struggle.
Yours in struggles,
Prince Peters Adeyemi, JP Com. Mohammed H. Ibrahim, fnipr,
General Secretary, NASU President, SSANU
