NASU, SSANU widen ultimatum, warn of looming nationwide strike.

The standoff between the Federal Government and two key non-teaching university unions has deepened, as the Joint Action Committee (JAC) of the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) and the Non-Academic Staff Union of Universities and Allied Institutions (NASU) has stretched its strike ultimatum by another two weeks.

In a statement issued on Tuesday, September 23, 2025, SSANU President, Muhammed Ibrahim, confirmed the extension, saying the unions were compelled to act after “government foot-dragging” on welfare-related demands that have lingered for years. Among the grievances are the skewed disbursement of earned allowances, unpaid arrears, and other unsettled labour disputes that members argue have been deliberately sidelined in policy discussions.

The fresh ultimatum comes on the heels of a meeting held September 19 with the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Education, Abel Enitan, and top officials of the National Universities Commission (NUC) as well as the Ministry of Labour. Despite the high-level gathering, union leaders insist that government representatives merely restated old promises without offering timelines or commitments.

Although a joint consultative committee was constituted to examine the unions’ concerns, Ibrahim said little progress has been made. “The government has continued to give assurances, but these have not translated into concrete action,” he noted, suggesting that patience among members is running thin.

Labour observers say the unions’ grievances reflect deeper systemic neglect of non-teaching staff in Nigerian universities, who form the backbone of administration, research support, and student services. A strike could cripple campus operations nationwide, extending beyond classrooms to dormitories, laboratories, and libraries.

For now, the JAC has positioned the two-week window, effective from Tuesday, as the final test of government sincerity. Should the authorities fail to address their demands, the unions have warned of a coordinated industrial showdown that may once again paralyze Nigeria’s already fragile university system.