By Alex Okoro
ABUJA — Non-academic staff unions in Nigeria’s public universities have declared an indefinite nationwide strike beginning May 1, following the Federal Government’s withdrawal of its proposed 30 per cent salary increase.
The Joint Action Committee (JAC) of the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) and the Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions (NASU) announced the decision after a renegotiation meeting with government representatives on April 29 ended without agreement.
The unions said the strike became inevitable due to the government’s failure to conclude negotiations on the 2009 agreement and its decision to withdraw the wage increase offer without presenting an alternative.
In a circular dated April 30 and addressed to branch chairmen nationwide, SSANU President and JAC Chairman, Mohammed Ibrahim, alongside NASU General Secretary, Peters Adeyemi, directed members to embark on a “total and comprehensive” strike.
The directive mandates workers in universities and inter-university centres to withdraw their services from midnight on May 1, 2026.
The unions had earlier issued a deadline of April 30 for the government to conclude the renegotiation process, warning that failure to do so would trigger industrial action.
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