The Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) has suspended its two-week ultimatum to the Federal Government following the release of funds for the payment of eight months’ arrears owed to its members.
The union said the decision followed the Federal Government’s approval and release of funds on October 7, 2026, to settle outstanding arrears of the Consolidated Non-Teaching Staff Tertiary Institutions Allowance (CONTTA) covering January to August 2026.
SSANU National President, Comrade Mohammed Ibrahim, disclosed this in a statement notifying members and the general public of the decision taken by the union’s National Administrative Committee (NAC) on behalf of its National Executive Council (NEC).
The union had issued the two-week ultimatum on October 5, 2026, over outstanding welfare demands affecting its members in Nigerian universities.
According to the statement, the NAC resolved to suspend the planned industrial action in recognition of the government’s release of funds and as a demonstration of its commitment to dialogue and industrial harmony in the university system.
The statement said the decision reflected the union’s commitment to “constructive engagement, peaceful dialogue and the maintenance of cordial relations with the Government, particularly in the interest of sustaining industrial harmony in our citadels of learning.”
However, SSANU urged the Federal Government to address other outstanding demands, including the payment of one year’s arrears of the 25 and 35 per cent salary awards approved in 2023, as well as two months of withheld salaries from 2022.
The union also called on state governments yet to implement the 2026 agreement to honour their commitments and settle other outstanding arrears owed to members in state-owned universities.
The statement partly reads: “While acknowledging this development, the Union urges the Federal Government to reciprocate this gesture by fulfilling all other outstanding demands.”
SSANU stressed that the suspension of the ultimatum did not amount to an abandonment of its members’ demands, insisting that the government must demonstrate similar goodwill by taking concrete steps to resolve the outstanding issues.
“The Union remains committed to dialogue but expects the Government to demonstrate the same level of goodwill by taking concrete steps towards resolving all outstanding issues affecting our members across the Federal and State Universities.”
The union urged its NEC members to communicate the decision accordingly while continuing to engage relevant stakeholders to preserve industrial peace in the nation’s universities and protect the welfare and legitimate interests of its members.
