Only varsity workers complaining of IPPIS – Software firm
A software firm in Lagos, identified as Soft Alliance and Resources Limited, has weighed in on the ongoing controversy surrounding the Integrated Personnel and Payroll Information System (IPPIS), saying that only workers in the university system have persistently complained about the payment platform.
According to the statement attributed to the firm, other categories of federal workers paid through IPPIS — such as civil servants in ministries and agencies — have not mounted similar strong objections to the payroll software’s operations. The company describes the IPPIS software as effective and generally stable, and it suggested that the opposition to it has mainly come from employees of federal tertiary institutions who feel the platform does not appropriately handle their unique payment structures and allowances.
The university workers, represented by various labour unions including the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU), and the Non-Academic Staff Union (NASU), have repeatedly complained about salary inconsistencies, delayed payments, non-payment of earned allowances and other settlement issues since being migrated to IPPIS. These frustrations are part of wider disagreements about how the system accommodates the peculiarities of payment structures in tertiary institutions compared to the broader federal civil service.
The software firm’s remarks reflect a long-standing divide in public discourse: while the federal government and system vendors continue to defend IPPIS as a way to modernise payroll and eliminate ghost workers, university staff unions argue that the system is unsuitable for the higher education context and undermines labour agreements.
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Contents
FAQs: What This Means for Workers and IPPIS
What is IPPIS?
IPPIS — the Integrated Personnel and Payroll Information System — is a federal government payroll software used to pay salaries and manage personnel records for public servants, to improve payroll accuracy and eliminate ghost workers.
Why are only university workers said to be complaining?
According to Soft Alliance, most federal workers paid through IPPIS do not publicly oppose the system, whereas workers in universities have raised persistent objections, largely because they believe IPPIS does not reflect their specific employment structures, allowances, and salary conditions.
What issues have university workers raised?
Tertiary institution employees and their unions have complained about inconsistencies in pay, non-payment of earned allowances, delayed salaries, and deductions, as well as that the system fails to recognise certain academic-specific payroll elements.
Has the government responded to these complaints?
The government has defended the use of IPPIS and explained ongoing upgrades aimed at improving system performance. Meanwhile, there have been policy shifts and negotiations with unions, including plans for alternative payroll mechanisms or exemptions under certain conditions.
Is there an alternative payroll system proposed?
Yes — university unions such as ASUU have proposed alternatives like University Transparency and Accountability Solution (UTAS), designed to better accommodate sector-specific needs, though implementation and approval processes remain in debate.
