Academic and administrative activities at the University of Ilorin have been disrupted following an indefinite strike by members of the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) and the Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions (NASU).
The unions staged a peaceful protest at the university’s main gate on Monday, displaying placards with messages demanding fair treatment, payment of withheld salaries, and improved welfare conditions. Some inscriptions read: “We demand fair treatment and living wages,” “Pay withheld salaries now,” and “45% increment is our demand, not 30%.”
Chairman of SSANU at UNILORIN, Prof. Falowo Olushola, said the strike was triggered by the Federal Government’s failure to conclude and implement the 2009 agreement with non-teaching staff unions.
He explained that despite repeated ultimatums and patience from members, the government had not met key demands.
Olushola stressed that the unions are demanding full conclusion, signing, and implementation of the 2009 agreement, alongside a 45% salary increment.
“We reject the 30% that was proposed to us outrightly. All staff in federal universities have rejected it. Our demand is 45%, and that is final,” he said.
He added that non-teaching staff play essential roles in university administration, including security, ICT, finance, and logistics, insisting their contributions must be adequately rewarded.
Also speaking, NASU chairman at UNILORIN, Suberu Ibrahim, said the strike reflects long-standing grievances dating back several years, noting that negotiations on the 2009 agreement have been ongoing since 2017 without resolution.
He expressed dissatisfaction that teaching staff recently received about 40% adjustments in allowances and salaries, while non-teaching staff were excluded.
“We are demanding that our negotiations be concluded and that the same benefits be extended to us,” he said.
Ibrahim also raised concerns over unpaid arrears, including one-year salary arrears and two months’ outstanding payments from 2022.
“The university system stands on three pillars: professional, academic, and administrative. Why should one segment be sidelined?” he asked.
He warned that the strike, which began on May 1, 2026, is total and indefinite, with all non-teaching staff withdrawing their services.
The unions also stated that transport and other essential services on campus have been affected, urging the government to act swiftly to prevent further disruption to students’ activities.
The Joint Action Committee of SSANU and NASU had earlier declared the nationwide industrial action following the expiration of an April 30 ultimatum to the Federal Government.
A last-minute meeting held on April 29 reportedly ended in a deadlock, with no agreement reached on salary adjustments or the renegotiation framework.
The strike affects federal and state universities as well as inter-university centres across the country, with monitoring teams deployed to ensure compliance, while the unions insist the action will continue until their demands are fully met.
Elijah Adeyemi
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