SSANU warns FG over renegotiation, threatens strike by month end

The National Executive Council of the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities has issued a strong warning over the ongoing renegotiation process between university-based unions and the Federal Government, insisting that no final agreement has been reached and threatening industrial action if talks are not concluded by the end of April.

The position was contained in a communiqué issued at the end of a special NEC meeting held on Saturday at the union’s national secretariat in Abuja, where leaders reviewed developments in the negotiation process.

According to the communiqué signed by the National President of SSANU, Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities, Muhammad Ibrahim, and made available to the press on Sunday, the NEC reaffirmed that “the renegotiation process with the Federal Government is still ongoing and has not been concluded.”

The council also expressed concern over what it described as misleading reports in the public space, suggesting that the process had been concluded.

It pointed to the circulation of a letter allegedly indicating approval of a 30 per cent increase in allowances, insisting that discussions were still ongoing and no binding agreement had been signed.

NEC stated that “SSANU will not accept any outcome that falls below the negotiated understanding reached in the course of the renegotiation process, and insists that fairness, due process, and collective bargaining principles must be respected.”

Reiterating its earlier stance under the Joint Action Committee of NASU and SSANU, the council maintained the ultimatum given to the Federal Government from April 1 to April 30, 2026, to conclude negotiations and sign agreements.

It warned that failure to meet the deadline would leave the unions with no choice but to embark on industrial action.

The communiqué stated that SSANU “will have no alternative but to, along with NASU, commence an indefinite, comprehensive, and total industrial action.”