Universities on Brink as SSANU, NASU Give Government Seven-Day Ultimatum Amid ASUU Strike Threat

As the threat of an indefinite strike by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) looms over Nigerian universities from September 25, 2025, two key non-academic unions—the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) and the Non-Academic Staff Union of Universities and Allied Institutions (NASU)—have issued the federal government a fresh ultimatum demanding urgent resolution of long-standing labour issues.

In a strongly worded letter dated September 15, 2025, addressed to the Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, the Joint Action Committee (JAC) of SSANU and NASU warned that if their grievances were not addressed within seven days from the date of the letter, they would initiate coordinated industrial actions, including strikes that could bring university activities to a halt.

The unions’ letter highlights key unresolved issues, including the unjust distribution of N50 billion earned allowances, non-payment of withheld salaries, unpaid 25-35 per cent salary increments, and delays in renegotiating agreements first signed in 2009 between the federal government and NASU/SSANU members.

According to the unions, a meeting convened on July 4, 2025, with the Education Minister yielded promises to resolve these challenges through a tripartite committee comprising government representatives, the National Universities Commission, and the unions. However, the letter lamented the minister’s failure to fulfill commitments made during the meeting, despite reminder correspondence sent on August 18, 2025.

Further compounding the frustration of SSANU and NASU is the government’s alleged sidelining of their unions while reportedly nearing an agreement with ASUU. They noted that while the federal government has engaged fully and renegotiated with ASUU, their own demands have been ignored by the government team, causing grave dissatisfaction among non-teaching university staff.

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This ultimatum comes amid heightened tension as ASUU conducted a nationwide referendum on September 11, voting on whether to commence an indefinite strike if the government fails to sign a renegotiated 2009 agreement by September 25.

The situation signals a precarious juncture for Nigeria’s public university system, which has already been rocked by repeated strikes in recent years, undermining academic calendars and students’ futures.

The Ministry of Education has previously emphasized its resolve to maintain industrial harmony in tertiary institutions and urged all parties to pursue dialogue for peaceful resolution. However, the repeated failure to address the concerns of both academic and non-academic staff casts doubt on the short-term stability of the sector.

As the seven-day ultimatum expires, the nation watches anxiously, hoping urgently for government intervention to avert widespread disruption in higher education