The Joint Action Committee (JAC) of the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities and the Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions has directed members to commence an indefinite strike from Friday, May 1, 2026, over the Federal Government’s failure to conclude the 2009 Renegotiation Agreement.
The directive followed a breakdown in negotiations between the unions and the government during a meeting held on April 29, which ended without resolution.
The industrial action also comes amid reports that the government withdrew its earlier offer of a 30 per cent salary increase without presenting a fresh proposal.
In a circular dated April 30 and addressed to branch chairmen nationwide, SSANU President and JAC Chairman, Mohammed Ibrahim, alongside NASU General Secretary, Peters Adeyemi, announced that the strike would be total, indefinite, and fully enforced across universities and inter-university centres.
The union leaders said while they acknowledged the withdrawal of the circular on the Consolidated Non-Teaching Tools Allowance, it failed to address the core issues in dispute.
They noted that no new offer had been presented to replace the earlier 30 per cent allowance proposal, describing the pace of renegotiation as unsatisfactory.
“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 unions had earlier issued an April 30 deadline for the government to conclude the renegotiation process, warning that failure to do so would trigger a nationwide strike.
With the directive now in effect, academic support services across universities are expected to be disrupted as non-academic staff withdraw their services indefinitely.
