Nigeria’s Minister of Education, Tunji Alausa, has appealed to workers of tertiary institutions to annul their planned demonstrations and strike.
The minister’s appeal is coming hours before the Senior Staff Association of Nigeria universities, SSANU and the Non-Academic Staff of Educational and Associated Institutions, NASU, begin a nationwide protest, and one week to the expiration of strike notice by Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU.
The education minister, Tunji Alausa, sought the understanding of unions in the Nigerian tertiary education sub-sector for more understanding regarding their issues as government expands the harmonisation and negotiation committee
A nationwide demonstrations was scheduled for Thursday October 9, 2025 by the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities, SSANU, and the Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions, NASU.
The protest is against the Federal Government’s failure to meet their demands, which include the alleged inequitable disbursement of the N50bn earned allowances, delays in renegotiating the 2009 FGN/NASU/SSANU agreements, non-payment of two months’ outstanding salaries, arrears of 25 and 35 per cent salary increments, and non-remittance of third-party deductions for May and June 2022.
SSANU and NASU had earlier issued a seven-day ultimatum to the government on September 15 and extended it by another 14 days, which expired on Monday, October 6.
One week to the start of its planned nationwide strike, the leadership of the Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU has began mobilising members across all the universities in the country.
The union premised the latest development upon the government’s silence after a notice had been served to all relevant authorities, including the minister of Labour and Employment, Maigari Dingyadi.
ASUU president, Chris Piwana, in a latest communication on October 5, outlined the union’s key demands, to include the re-negotiation of the 2009 agreement, sustainable funding for Nigerian universities, revitalisation of facilities, and the payment of outstanding wage and promotion arrears.
(Editor: Anoyoyo Ogiagboviogie)
