ABUJA, Nigeria (VOICE OF NAIJA)-The Federal Government has invited the leadership of the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities and the Non-Academic Staff Union of Universities and Allied Institutions to a meeting scheduled for Wednesday, April 29, 2026, in an effort to prevent a potential strike by the unions.
The looming strike stems from the ongoing dispute over a proposed 30 per cent salary increase for the unions, as announced by the Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa.
Sources familiar with the planned meeting confirmed the development in Abuja.
“The government has written to the leadership of the unions and invited us to a meeting on Wednesday.
We will be there to hear what they have to say, but the truth is that our ultimatum still stands,” one of the sources said.
Another source also confirmed the invitation, stating, “It is true, we have been invited to a meeting on April 29, which is Wednesday, and we will be there.”
It will be recalled that Alausa, in a letter addressed to the National Universities Commission, National Commission for Colleges of Education, and National Board for Technical Education, announced a 30 per cent salary increase for non-academic staff in Federal Government-owned universities, polytechnics, and colleges of education.
However, the Joint Action Committee of SSANU and NASU has demanded the withdrawal of the letter allegedly approving the increment, warning that failure to do so could result in a nationwide shutdown of public universities.
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In a strongly worded statement signed by Peters A. Adeyemi, Secretary-General of the JAC, and Comrade Mohammed Ibrahim, President, the unions described the development as shocking and unacceptable.
The letter addressed to the Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, read: “We write with utmost respect to draw your urgent attention to the letter being circulated on social media, purportedly signed by you.
“We have not reached any conclusion warranting the award, which is alien to the tradition of collective bargaining.”
The unions argued that the proposed increment did not arise from ongoing negotiations and cautioned that enforcing it would breach established labour practices.
They maintained that they would not accept any unilateral decision outside the negotiation process.
“We are not part of it, and the two unions are not ready to
take anything less than what may be agreed upon collectively with the negotiation committee,” it added.
Talks between the Federal Government and the university-based unions are currently being led by a committee chaired by Dr Yayale Ahmed, but the unions insisted that “discussions are still ongoing with no agreement reached.”
The JAC also called for the immediate withdrawal of the circulating document to avoid further confusion within the university system.
“We hereby call on the honourable minister to withdraw the letter in circulation,” the unions stated.
The protest by the unions comes on the heels of a recent 40 per cent salary increase granted to members of the Academic Staff Union of Universities.