SSANU, NASU Suspend Strike After Meeting With Education Minister

The Senior Staff Association of Nigeria Universities (SSANU) and the Non-Academic Staff Union of Allied and Education Institutions (NASU) have suspended their strike actions, following a meeting with the Minister of Education, Adamu Adamu, in Abuja. The suspension is expected to take effect from Wednesday.

The move comes amid ongoing disruption in Nigerian public universities due to the ASUU strike, which remains unresolved.

Federal Government Commits N50 Billion

Minister Adamu confirmed that the Federal Government has set aside N50 billion to pay earned allowances for members of SSANU, NASU, and ASUU. Despite this development, academic activities in public universities will remain limited as ASUU continues its strike, demanding the payment of salary backlogs.

ASUU Insists on Salary Backlogs

Speaking on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily, ASUU President, Prof. Emmanuel Osodeke, emphasized that the union will not resume lectures until outstanding salary arrears are cleared.

Prof. Osodeke explained:

“If we agree on that, then the lectures for 2020/2021 and 2021/2026 sessions should be allowed to go so we start a new session, 2026/2027, in September. By July next year, I will go on leave so that the backlog is cleared. All the lectures that remain, all the two sets of admissions from JAMB, must be completed.”

He added that ASUU differs from other unions in that it will cover the backlog of lessons left by the strike rather than skipping sessions.

Details of SSANU and NASU Strike Suspension

The Joint Action Committee (JAC) of SSANU and NASU stated that the suspension is for an initial period of two months to allow the government to implement agreed actions.

Key points of the agreement include:

• Payment of earned academic and earned allowances

• Implementation of the University Peculiar Personnel Payroll System (U3PS)

• Release of the White Paper on university visitation panels

• Proper funding of federal universities

Minister Adamu also assured that no striking union member will face victimization and reiterated the government’s commitment to allocating 15% of the national budget to education.

Regarding the salary payment system, the Minister noted that alternative payment mechanisms suggested by the unions have performed well, and the government is awaiting a technical committee report before taking further action.

Related Article: Varsities suspend 461,745 students’ admission over strike

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Which unions have suspended their strike?
The Senior Staff Association of Nigeria Universities (SSANU) and the Non-Academic Staff Union (NASU) have suspended their strike for an initial two months.

Why is ASUU still on strike?
ASUU remains on strike because it demands the payment of salary backlogs before resuming lectures.

How much has the Federal Government committed for allowances?
The government has committed N50 billion for the payment of earned academic and earned allowances for members of ASUU, SSANU, and NASU.

What measures is the government taking to support universities?

• Implementation of U3PS payroll system

• Release of White Paper reports from university visitation panels

• Funding of universities

• Assurance that no striking union member will face victimization

• Commitment to 15% of the national budget for education

What happens to the lectures missed during ASUU strike?
ASUU plans to cover the backlog of lectures for the 2020/2021 and 2021/2026 sessions before starting the 2026/2027 academic session.