The Federal Government is facing renewed pressure to resolve a long-running industrial dispute in the research sector following fresh demands by the Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions (NASU) for the restoration of allowances suspended in federal research institutes more than a decade ago.

NASU stated that the 13-year stoppage of overtime, hazard and risk allowances in research institutions by the Federal Government has continued to hurt workers’ welfare.

While demanding urgent government intervention as funding challenges deepen across research institutes, the Federal Government may face renewed agitation by the union.

In a communiqué signed at the end of the meeting by the Deputy President/Chairman (NASU, Research and Projects) Trade Group Council, Olukoya Adepeju Joseph, and Senior Deputy General Secretary, NASU (Research and Projects) Trade Group Council, Emma Okonkwor, NASU condemned the continued stoppage of shift duty, overtime, stress and strain, hazard and high-risk allowances paid to workers in research and development institutions, describing the situation as unacceptable and detrimental to staff welfare.

The union said the controversy stemmed from a 2012 circular issued by the Agricultural Research Council of Nigeria (ARCN), which halted the payment of the allowances to employees of research institutes and affected retirement-related provisions for workers in federal colleges of agriculture.

NASU argued that despite years of engagement and efforts to secure a reversal of the policy, workers in the sector have continued to bear the burden of the suspension, with no resolution in sight. The union noted that attempts to address the issue since 2013 had failed to produce any meaningful outcome.

The development comes at a time when many of the country’s research institutions are already grappling with inadequate funding, ageing infrastructure and growing concerns over the ability of the sector to attract and retain skilled personnel.

The withdrawal of allowances traditionally paid to employees exposed to hazardous conditions and irregular work schedules has further weakened staff morale in institutions expected to drive innovation, agricultural productivity and scientific advancement.

Raising the stakes, NASU warned that the prolonged dispute risks worsening industrial relations within the research and allied institutions sector. The union called on the Minister of Labour and Employment to urgently revive and conclude conciliation efforts on the matter, accusing the ARCN of frustrating previous attempts at resolution through non-attendance.

The union’s renewed agitation is part of a broader campaign highlighting what it described as years of neglect of research institutions by the government. Alongside demands for the restoration of allowances, NASU also raised concerns over poor funding, unimplemented agreements and delayed renegotiation of conditions of service for workers in the sector.

For stakeholders in the research sub-sector, the dispute goes beyond staff welfare.

They argue that the inability to resolve longstanding labour issues in research institutes could undermine national efforts to strengthen food security, technological innovation and scientific research at a time when countries are investing heavily in knowledge-driven economies.

With NASU signalling growing frustration among workers, the unresolved allowance dispute is emerging as another test of the government’s ability to restore confidence in institutions critical to Nigeria’s research and development agenda.