Unions in Nigeria’s tertiary education sector have issued a four-week ultimatum to the Federal Government to resolve all outstanding demands and lingering issues affecting the sector or face a total shutdown.
The decision followed a joint meeting facilitated by the President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Comrade Joe Ajaero, bringing together all tertiary education unions affiliated with the NLC. The unions include the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU), Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions (NASU), National Association of Academic Technologists (NAAT), Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP), Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Polytechnics (SSANIP), and the Colleges of Education Academic Staff Union (COEASU).
At a joint press conference in Abuja, the unions said they would no longer tolerate the government’s divide-and-rule approach in addressing issues affecting tertiary education and its workforce.
Speaking at the briefing, NLC President, Comrade Joe Ajaero, said the Congress, after extensive consultations with unions in the sector, resolved to establish a framework for engagement to ensure the full implementation of outstanding agreements and sustainable funding for education. He urged the government to align with the UNESCO recommendation of 25 to 26 percent budgetary allocation to education, review wage structures and allowances in tertiary institutions, and uphold trade union rights and collective bargaining.
Ajaero expressed concern that government representatives often attend meetings without proper authorization, describing the practice as a major cause of repeated stalemates. He warned that henceforth, unions would not attend meetings with officials who lack the mandate to make binding commitments.
He added that the NLC and the unions have given the Federal Government four weeks to conclude all negotiations in the sector, stressing that failure to do so would trigger a nationwide action involving all workers and unions.
Ajaero also criticized the government’s use of the “no work, no pay” policy, saying it should equally apply as “no pay, no work” when the government fails to meet its obligations. He said most strikes in the country occur because the government fails to implement agreements it voluntarily signed.
ASUU President, Prof. Christopher Piwuna, said the coalition was necessary because the government has consistently breached agreements and used divisive tactics in dealing with unions. He affirmed ASUU’s commitment to the joint action and said the union’s next steps after its ongoing warning strike would align with the four-week ultimatum.
SSANU President, Comrade Mohammed Ibrahim, also confirmed his union’s full support for the alliance and commended the NLC for uniting the unions. He said the move was aimed at promoting accountability and ensuring progress in the education sector.
Leaders of NASU, NAAT, ASUP, SSANIP, COEASU, and other tertiary education unions equally declared their support for the alliance and the NLC’s leadership, warning that they were ready to take collective action if the government fails to meet the four-week deadline.
