By Opeyemi Adelakun
The Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities, SSANU, has issued the Federal Government a 14-day ultimatum to release funds for the implementation of the 2026 agreement and pay outstanding salary arrears.
The union warned that failure to meet the demands within the stipulated period could lead to the shutdown of universities.
The decision was taken at SSANU’s 56th National Executive Council meeting held at the University of Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, over the weekend.
In a communiqué signed by its National President, Mohammed Ibrahim, the union demanded the immediate payment of outstanding arrears arising from the implementation of the 2026 FGN/SSANU CONTTA salary structure, which took effect from January 1, 2026.
SSANU said implementation of the agreement, formally signed on June 29, had commenced in some universities but remained incomplete and uneven across the system due to funding and administrative challenges.
The union said some universities had implemented the salary structure largely through internally generated funds without direct financial backing from the Federal Government.
It therefore demanded the release of funds to enable all affected institutions to implement the financial and non-financial provisions of the agreement.
“NEC, in session, after exhaustive deliberations on the continued non-release of funds for the implementation of the 2026 FGN/SSANU Agreement, issued the Federal Government a 14-day ultimatum to release the required funds and ensure the full payment of all outstanding CONTTA arrears,” the communiqué stated.
SSANU President Mohammed Ibrahim, however, said the Minister of Education, Tunji Alausa, had contacted him shortly before the union’s press briefing to provide an update on the funds.
According to Ibrahim, Alausa said the Director of Funds at the Federal Ministry of Finance and the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation had confirmed that the money would be released on or before the following week.
“We hope this will be done. And if that is done, it will avert the situation. Otherwise, our ultimatum stands,” Ibrahim said.
SSANU demands payment of withheld salaries
The union also demanded payment of the remaining two months’ salaries withheld from affected members following the 2022 industrial action.
It further called for the payment of one-year arrears arising from the 25 per cent and 35 per cent salary increases.
SSANU described the outstanding payments as legitimate entitlements and urged the Federal Government to settle them in full to ease the financial hardship faced by affected university workers.
The union also expressed concern over differences in the implementation of the 2026 agreement across state-owned universities.
It cited varying developments in institutions across states, including Ondo, Delta and Kaduna.
SSANU called on state governments and governing councils of state universities to ensure full and equitable implementation of the agreement and provide the necessary funding.
The union warned that selective or delayed implementation could undermine industrial harmony in the university system.
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