The Federal Government has released eight months’ salary arrears owed members of the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU), averting a fresh industrial crisis in the nation’s universities.
The payment came barely 24 hours after SSANU issued a 14-day ultimatum to the government over unpaid salary arrears and the incomplete implementation of the 2026 agreement reached with the union.
SSANU President, Mohammed Ibrahim, confirmed the development, saying the release followed the association’s ultimatum and had effectively prevented the planned strike action.
According to Ibrahim, the intervention reflects the Federal Government’s responsiveness and the commitment of the Minister of Education to fulfilling agreements reached with university-based unions.
SSANU Had Threatened Indefinite Strike
The development follows a warning issued by SSANU that it could embark on a total and indefinite strike if the government failed to resolve its outstanding financial obligations within 14 days.
At its 56th National Executive Council meeting held at the University of Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, the union demanded the immediate release of funds to affected universities and the full payment of arrears arising from the 2026 FGN/SSANU Agreement.
The agreement became effective on January 1, 2026, although it was formally signed on June 29. SSANU had complained that implementation remained incomplete in some universities due to funding and administrative challenges.
The union subsequently warned that failure to meet its demands would trigger industrial action without further notice.
Payment Averts Fresh University Crisis
With the release of the eight months’ arrears, SSANU said the threatened industrial action had been averted.
The latest payment is also linked to a broader dispute over withheld salaries involving university-based non-academic staff.
In October 2024, SSANU and the Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions (NASU) embarked on an indefinite nationwide strike over the payment of four months’ withheld salaries.
The unions had protested what they described as unequal treatment, alleging that the Federal Government had released withheld salaries to members of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) while non-academic staff remained unpaid.
The latest release is expected to ease tensions between the government and SSANU and provide temporary relief for affected university workers.
