The Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) and the Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions (NASU) have extended their strike ultimatum to the federal government by an additional two weeks, effective Tuesday, 23 September.

The decision, announced in a letter to members and signed by SSANU President, Mohammed Ibrahim, and NASU General Secretary, Peters Adeyemi, followed a meeting held on 19 September with the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Education, Abel Enitan. The unions said that while discussions had commenced, their core demands remained unresolved, making it necessary to prolong the ultimatum.

According to the unions, the extension gives the government more time to “initiate the requisite processes” to address concerns over the disbursement of N50 billion earned allowances, withheld salaries, implementation of 25/35 per cent salary increases, and the renegotiation of the 2009 agreements. They warned that failure to meet these demands within the two-week extension would leave them with no choice but to embark on industrial action.

The Joint Action Committee (JAC) of both unions expressed frustration that while academic staff had concluded their renegotiation process with the government, non-teaching unions had been sidelined despite repeated meetings and reminders. They insisted that equity in earned allowances and meaningful engagement on pending issues were essential to avert disruption in the university system.