SSANU Threatens Nationwide Varsity Shutdown by Dec 31st over Unmet Demands

The Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) has issued a warning to the Federal Government, stating that failure to address its outstanding demands and conclude renegotiations by December 31, 2025 will trigger a total shutdown of universities nationwide in 2026.

SSANU made this known in a communique issued on Monday following its 53rd National Executive Council (NEC) meeting held at the University of Jos.

In the document signed by its president, Muhammed Ibrahim, the union said years of neglect, marginalisation and worsening conditions across campuses have pushed non-teaching staff to the brink, insisting that it will no longer tolerate government’s lack of commitment to their welfare and the stability of the university system.

SSANU said its patience has been stretched thin by the government’s refusal to release the N50 billion captured in the 2022 MoU for Earned Allowances, the continued exclusion of Inter-University Centres and research institutes from previous payments and what it described as systemic marginalisation of non-teaching staff in all government engagements.

It said the refusal to make a credible offer in the ongoing renegotiation process shows a deliberate pattern of neglect and warned that any further delay would make industrial unrest inevitable.

The Union also lamented the rising wave of insecurity targeting educational institutions, noting that recent abductions in Niger and Kebbi States underscore the growing dangers to students and staff.

It said campuses remain exposed due to weak lighting, broken perimeter fences, poor intelligence systems and under-resourced security units. The Union demanded immediate government investment in surveillance technology, perimeter fortification and comprehensive insurance coverage for all university staff.

SSANU further rejected plans by the Federal Ministry of Education to adopt Public-Private Partnership (PPP) models for municipal services in universities, warning that experiences from similar sectors show that PPPs often lead to job losses, casualisation and degraded working conditions.

It insisted that no staff must lose their jobs or be placed under inferior employment terms under any form of divestment, vowing to resist any policy imposed without proper labour impact assessment and full stakeholder involvement.

The union expressed deep concern over the persistent underfunding and infrastructure decay crippling universities nationwide. It noted that erratic electricity supply, dilapidated hostels, broken water systems and outdated laboratories have turned campuses into unsafe environments for teaching and research. SSANU said the delayed release of funds and poor maintenance culture have left universities struggling to sustain basic operations, urging the government to ensure predictable, adequate and accountable funding to revive the system.

The NEC also highlighted the severe economic pressure on university workers, saying stagnant salaries, rising inflation, high transport costs and escalating prices of essentials have pushed many into financial distress. It called for an urgent wage review that reflects current realities and demanded stronger social protection measures targeted at education sector workers.

The communique read in parts; “We have given the government enough time. If by December 31 our demands are not addressed in full and renegotiation is not concluded, the shutdown of universities in 2026 will be unavoidable. The responsibility will rest squarely on the government.

“Our members have endured years of injustice, exclusion and hardship. The marginalisation of non-teaching staff must end, and the government must honour its agreements without further excuses.

“The decaying infrastructure, insecurity on campuses and the collapse of basic services show that the system is on life support. We cannot continue to work under these dangerous and humiliating conditions.

“SSANU will continue to pursue dialogue, but we will not hesitate to defend the rights and dignity of our members. Government must act now to prevent a total collapse of the university system.”