The Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) has given the Federal Government an ultimatum: conclude the ongoing renegotiation with the union by December 31 2025, or face an indefinite shutdown of universities starting in January 2026. This decision was taken at SSANU’s 53rd National Executive Council meeting held at the University of Jos.
SSANU expressed deep dissatisfaction with the government’s handling of issues affecting non‑teaching staff, accusing it of sidelining members in the payment of Earned Allowances and in the renegotiation process. The union demands the immediate release of the N50 billion stipulated in the 2022 Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) and the inclusion of Inter‑University Centres and research institutes in the next disbursement.
The union also highlighted the growing threat of school kidnappings, citing recent incidents in Kebbi and Niger States, and urged the government to strengthen campus security through modern surveillance systems, improved perimeter protection, and enhanced intelligence gathering.
In addition, SSANU rejected the Federal Ministry of Education’s proposal to introduce Public‑Private Partnership (PPP) arrangements for municipal services in universities, pointing to previous PPP models that resulted in job losses and poorer working conditions. The union underscored the deteriorating state of university infrastructure—unreliable electricity, faulty water systems, dilapidated hostels, outdated laboratories, and weak security structures—and called for predictable funding, timely releases, and stricter monitoring of resources.
Finally, SSANU is demanding an urgent wage review that reflects current economic realities, noting the worsening hardship faced by university workers due to rising inflation and fuel costs. With the renegotiation deadline looming, swift government action is essential to address SSANU’s concerns and avert a potentially disruptive shutdown of Nigeria’s universities. The outcome will have significant implications for the education sector and the welfare of university workers.
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