BREAKING: NASU, SSANU begin indefinite strike Friday

Academic and administrative operations across Nigeria’s federal universities and inter-university centres are set for major disruption from Friday as the Joint Action Committee (JAC) of the Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions (NASU) and the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) has announced a nationwide strike.

In a letter dated April 30, 2026, and addressed to the Minister of Education, Tunji Alausa, the unions confirmed that the industrial action will commence at midnight on May 1, 2026, following the Federal Government’s failure to conclude ongoing renegotiations and present a fresh proposal on allowances.

The letter, jointly signed by NASU General Secretary Peters Adeyemi and SSANU President Mohammed Ibrahim, noted that although the government had withdrawn a disputed circular on a proposed 30 per cent increase in the Consolidated Non-Teaching Tools Allowance, the withdrawal did not address the substantive issues in contention.

“Despite this, the withdrawal did not resolve the core issues in dispute,” the unions stated, adding that the pace of negotiations remained unsatisfactory and no alternative offer had been presented to replace the withdrawn allowance structure.

According to the JAC, members had earlier mandated their leadership to take decisive action if negotiations were not concluded by April 30, 2026. With no agreement reached by the deadline, the unions said a total and comprehensive strike had become inevitable.

“In view of this, with the agreement not concluded as at 30th April 2026, and with no new offer, the strike action shall commence by 12am on May 1, 2026,” the letter read.

The unions warned that the action would paralyse non-teaching services across federal tertiary institutions nationwide, raising concerns of renewed instability in the university system, which has experienced repeated labour disputes in recent years.

The Federal Government, through the Ministry of Education, is yet to issue a formal response at the time of filing this report.

— According to Punch