The Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) and the Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions (NASU) have affirmed their commitment to an indefinite strike, which commenced on Monday, over unpaid salary arrears. Despite calls to end the industrial action, SSANU President Mohammed Ibrahim emphasized that the strike will continue until the Federal Government fulfills their demands.

“The issue is that we want payment, and every procedure has been followed. They can just simply direct for this payment, and I assure you in less than 24 hours, we can refer back to our principals, and this strike will be suspended,” Ibrahim said on Channels Television’s Politics Today. He added that “assurances from politicians and government officials are not new to us” and noted that the strike is entirely indefinite, contingent on receiving payment alerts.

The ongoing strike has resulted in widespread disruption across public universities, with academic activities halted and facilities closed. Earlier this year, in March, SSANU and NASU initiated a seven-day warning strike over similar grievances. The unions’ grievances trace back to withheld salaries from their eight-month strike in 2022, when the government, under then-President Muhammadu Buhari, enforced a “No Work, No Pay” policy. Although President Bola Tinubu later approved partial release of these withheld funds for ASUU members, SSANU and NASU contend they have been left without resolution.

In response to the escalating situation, the Senate has urged the unions to pursue dialogue with the Federal Government, aiming to prevent further academic and economic strain. Chairman of the Senate Committee on Tertiary Institutions, Senator Dandutse Mohammed, stated that a peaceful resolution would be a more responsible approach, emphasizing the need to avoid prolonged hardship for students and academic staff alike.