NAAT threatens strike over unresolved wage agreement

The National Association of Academic Technologists (NAAT) has announced its readiness to embark on strike over the unresolved renegotiation of its wage agreement with the Federal Government.

The NAAT President, Ibeji Nwokoma, made this known in a statement issued at the end of the union’s National Executive Council (NEC) meeting in Abuja on Tuesday, April 21, 2026.

Nwokoma expressed concern over the prolonged delay in concluding the renegotiation of the FGN/NAAT 2009 Agreement, which had been under review since 2017.

Nwokoma said several government committees constituted over the years failed to conclude an agreement that adequately addresses the welfare of academic technologists.

He stated: “Successive government committees have failed to deliver a workable agreement that reflects the welfare needs of academic technologists in Nigerian universities.

“We can no longer continue to wait endlessly while the agreement, which has been under review since 2017, remains inconclusive.

“The continued delay in finalising the wage agreement is unacceptable and unsustainable for our members in the university system.

“Failure to act promptly could leave the association with no option but to consider industrial action.”

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The NAAT boss said NEC rejected what it described as a “paltry offer” presented by the negotiation committee on March 31, 2026, at the National Universities Commission (NUC).

Nwokoma added that the offer did not reflect current economic realities such as rising fuel, gas and electricity costs.

He also criticised the recent approval of a 30 per cent allowance increase for non-teaching staff, saying it was done without concluding negotiations with NAAT.

According to him, the action undermines collective bargaining principles and risks creating disparities among university-based unions.

Nwokoma warned that the union would resist any attempt to impose unfair wage structures, adding that such actions could disrupt industrial harmony in the university system.

He urged the federal government to urgently reconvene negotiations and conclude the outstanding agreement in good faith.

The NAAT president also called on stakeholders, including labour unions, students, civil society organisations, and religious leaders, to intervene to avert a looming crisis in universities across Nigeria.