The Joint Action Committee (JAC) of the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) and the Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions (NASU) has directed its members to embark on an indefinite strike beginning Friday, May 1, 2026.
The decision follows the federal government’s failure to conclude the long-running renegotiation of the 2009 agreement with university-based unions.
Tensions escalated after the government reportedly withdrew its earlier offer of a 30 percent salary increase without presenting a revised proposal, leaving negotiations deadlocked.
A renegotiation meeting held on April 29 between government representatives and the JAC ended without any agreement, prompting the unions to activate their earlier strike notice.
The unions had previously issued an April 30 deadline to the government to finalise discussions, warning that failure to do so would result in a total withdrawal of services across universities and inter-university centres nationwide.
In a circular dated April 30 and addressed to branch chairmen of both unions, JAC confirmed the commencement of the strike, describing it as “total and comprehensive.”
The notice, signed by SSANU President and JAC Chairman, Mohammed Ibrahim, alongside NASU General Secretary, Peters Adeyemi, instructed members to down tools from midnight.
“In view of this, we hereby direct our members to commence total and comprehensive strike action in all our universities and inter-university centre campuses from 12:00 a.m. on May 1, 2026,” the circular stated.
The strike is expected to disrupt administrative and non-academic operations across public universities, adding fresh uncertainty to Nigeria’s higher education system.
