Activities have been suspended at the University of Ilorin following the commencement of an indefinite strike by the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) and the Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions (NASU).

The industrial action, which began on May 1, 2026, led to a peaceful protest at the university’s main gate on Monday. Union members displayed placards demanding fair wages, payment of withheld salaries, and a 45 per cent salary increment, rejecting the Federal Government’s proposed 30 per cent increase.

SSANU Chairman at UNILORIN, Prof. Falowo Olushola, stated that the strike was triggered by the Federal Government’s failure to conclude and implement the 2009 agreement with non-teaching staff unions. He noted that despite multiple ultimatums issued since December 2025 and March 2026, no concrete action had been taken.

Olushola emphasized that the unions are demanding the full implementation of the agreement and insisted that anything below a 45 per cent salary increase would not be accepted.

NASU Chairman at the university, Suberu Ibrahim, described the protest as part of a long-standing struggle dating back several years. He highlighted that renegotiations of the 2009 agreement have been ongoing since 2017 without resolution.

Ibrahim also pointed out disparities in salary adjustments, noting that academic staff received about a 40 per cent increase earlier in 2026, while non-teaching staff were excluded. He called for equal treatment and the extension of similar benefits.
He further disclosed that members are owed significant arrears, including one year and two months of unpaid salaries from 2022, stressing that these must be settled.

The strike has disrupted campus operations, with transport services halted and other administrative functions affected. According to the unions, the action is intended to demonstrate the critical role of non-teaching staff in the university system.
A last-minute meeting between union leaders and government representatives on April 29 ended without agreement, prompting the Joint Action Committee of SSANU and NASU to proceed with the strike.

The industrial action affects federal and state universities nationwide, as well as inter-university centres. Monitoring teams have been deployed to ensure compliance, while unions maintain that the strike will continue until their demands are fully met.