SSANU rejects FG’s 30% pay rise

The Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) has dismissed the Federal Government’s recently approved 30 per cent salary increase for non-academic staff in tertiary institutions, insisting that negotiations are still ongoing.

The government had announced the pay rise for non-teaching staff in federal universities, polytechnics, and colleges of education, describing it as part of efforts to improve welfare, reduce labour tensions, and enhance productivity across the education sector.

The approval, conveyed in a March 30, 2026 letter signed by the Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, stated that the increment would be implemented through a Consolidated Non-Teaching Tools Allowance. Relevant agencies, including regulatory bodies overseeing higher institutions, were directed to begin implementation.

Despite this, SSANU’s National Executive Council (NEC) said no final agreement had been reached with the government. In a communiqué issued after a special meeting in Abuja, the union warned that it would not accept any unilateral decision that falls short of ongoing negotiations.

The communiqué, signed by SSANU President Muhammad Ibrahim, described reports suggesting a concluded agreement as misleading, stressing that discussions remain unresolved and no binding deal has been signed.

The union maintained that fairness and due process must guide the outcome of the negotiations, warning that failure to conclude talks by April 30, 2026, could trigger industrial action.

SSANU reiterated its position alongside the Non-Academic Staff Union (NASU), giving the government a deadline to finalise negotiations or face a total and indefinite strike.

While urging members to remain calm and united, the union said it remains committed to protecting workers’ welfare and rights.

Meanwhile, the National Commission for Colleges of Education has directed federal colleges to begin steps toward implementing the new salary structure, signalling early stages of rollout despite the ongoing dispute.

The latest development underscores lingering tensions between the government and non-academic unions, whose past strikes have disrupted administrative activities in higher institutions nationwide.