The Joint Action Committee (JAC) of Non-Academic Staff Union of Universities and Associated Institutions (NASU) and its Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) may go on industrial action tomorrow over the uneven distribution of N50 billion earned allowances, as well as the withholding of two months’ salaries of their members.

JAC said the issues it raised in its letter to the Minister of Education dated 18 July 2025 had remained unresolved two months later.

Specifically, JAC listed issues in contention to include disbursement of N50 billion Earned Allowances, non-payment of outstanding withheld salaries and 25/35 per cent salary increments and renegotiation of 2009 FGN and NASU/SSANU agreements.

It was observed that though a tripartite meeting was held on the 14th of July 2025, which drew membership from the Federal Ministry of Education, National Universities Commission and JAC of NASU and SSANU sat, there were no clear-cut decisions on how to address the issues in contention.

The JAC of both unions also bemoaned the exclusion of their members in the inter-university centres from the N50 billion earned allowances meant for all workers in the federal universities.

“While there was no conclusion at the 14th July 2025 meeting on the issue of payment of two months’ outstanding withheld salaries owed to our members, you pledged to set machinery in motion to expedite action on the issue of payment of arrears of 25/35 per cent salary increments owed to our members.

“Sequel to the 14th July 2025 meeting, there was a reminder letter dated 18th August, 2025, owing to the silence or deliberate decision by your office not to address issues affecting non-teaching staff in our Universities and Inter-University Centres,” it stated in the letter.

While JAC frowned at the reluctance of the Federal Government to re-negotiate the 2009 agreements with the non-teaching staff unions, the government has almost concluded negotiations with the teaching staff, which show preference.

It added: “It is equally important to note that the renegotiation of the Year 2009 FGN and NASU/SSANU Agreements is being delayed. It is on record that Alhaji Yayale Ahmed led Renegotiation Committee inaugurated on 15th October, 2024 to review the 2009 Agreements with the University Based Unions only had inaugural meeting with JAC of NASU and SSANU on 10th December, 2024 and since then the Federal Government Team has gone into limbo with the Non-Teaching Staff Unions, whereas information at our disposal confirmed that the same Federal Government Team has already concluded renegotiation with our counterpart, the Academic Staff Union in the sector and at the verge of signing an agreement while the Federal Government Team has refused to engage the Non-Teaching Staff Unions and even sidelined us despite fulfilling all justifications including re- submission of our Memoranda of Demands.”

In the JAC notice of strike, which was jointly signed by the General Secretary of NASU, Peters Adeyemi and the President of SSANU, Mohammed Ibrahim, both unions said they had no choice but to resort to the withdrawal of their service by issuing a seven-day ultimatum that began counting from 15th September 2025.

“In light of the persistent unresolved issues, and the apparent lack of responsiveness from the Government to our legitimate concerns, we are compelled to serve a formal notice of seven days effective from Monday, 15th September, 2025 to address our agitations, failing which members of NASU and SSANU would embark on a series of legitimate industrial actions including strikes to press home our demands,” the JAC of the two unions said.