The Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) has given the Federal Government a deadline of December 31, 2025, to finalize its ongoing renegotiations with the union. SSANU warned that universities across the country could face an indefinite shutdown starting January 2026 if the discussions are not concluded.

In a statement released Monday following its 53rd National Executive Council (NEC) meeting at the University of Jos, and signed by President Mohammed Haruna Ibrahim, the union accused the government of failing to demonstrate commitment to addressing the challenges affecting non-teaching staff.

SSANU alleged that its members have been sidelined in both the payment of Earned Allowances and in the renegotiation process. The union demanded the immediate release of the N50 billion agreed upon in the 2022 Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) and called for Inter-University Centres and research institutes, which were previously excluded, to be included in the next disbursement.

The union warned that the failure to conclude a credible renegotiation by the end of December would prompt “total and comprehensive” industrial action.

SSANU also expressed concern over the increasing incidents of school kidnappings, citing recent abductions in Kebbi and Niger States as evidence of worsening insecurity around educational institutions. It urged the government to bolster campus security through modern surveillance systems, enhanced perimeter protection, and improved intelligence gathering.

Rejecting the Federal Ministry of Education’s proposal to implement Public-Private Partnership (PPP) arrangements for municipal services in universities, the union argued that past PPP models in other sectors had resulted in job losses and poorer working conditions. SSANU insisted that no staff member should lose their job or be downgraded under any such initiative.

The statement further highlighted the deteriorating state of university infrastructure, pointing to unreliable electricity, faulty water systems, dilapidated hostels, outdated laboratories, and weak security structures. The union called for predictable funding, timely releases, and stricter monitoring of resources.

SSANU also noted that rising inflation and fuel costs have intensified the hardships faced by university workers, demanding an urgent wage review to reflect current economic realities.