By Remi Gupta
The Federal Government has been urged to urgently conclude ongoing renegotiations with non-teaching university unions to prevent renewed industrial unrest across Nigeria’s tertiary education sector.
The call is coming from the National President of the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities, SSANU, Comrade Mohammed Ibrahim, following the recent signing of a renegotiated agreement between the Federal Government and the Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU.
Speaking in an interview, Comrade Ibrahim said while the ASUU agreement represents a positive step, it is “not yet Uhuru” for the university system, warning that industrial peace may be short-lived unless negotiations with SSANU, NASU and NAAT are concluded without delay.
According to him, government must demonstrate the same urgency, goodwill and political will it extended to ASUU by immediately concluding talks with the remaining three university-based unions.
He described the current moment as critical for sustaining stability across campuses, stressing that all university workers operate under the same 2009 agreement framework and should therefore be treated with equal priority.
Comrade Ibrahim cautioned that selective or staggered negotiations could breed mistrust and deepen discontent within the system.
He said universities function as an integrated whole, where teaching, research and community service depend on the collective contribution of both academic and non-teaching staff.
He explained that without the support of non-teaching workers who provide security, healthcare, power supply, laboratory services, accommodation and administrative support, the entire university system would grind to a halt.
The SSANU President warned that prolonged delays could heighten tension on campuses and reverse the relative stability recorded over the past two years.
He therefore called on the Federal Government to deploy all necessary resources and political will to conclude negotiations with the remaining unions through the existing renegotiation committee.
Comrade Ibrahim further noted that with the country entering a politically sensitive period ahead of the 2027 general elections, the government risks losing valuable time if the matter is not resolved now.
He said failure to act decisively could trigger avoidable industrial actions, disrupt academic calendars and undermine public confidence in the education system.
On long-term industrial harmony, the labour leader advised government to institutionalise trust by respecting collective bargaining agreements, Memoranda of Understanding and Memoranda of Action signed with unions.
He stressed that agreements must not only be signed but implemented in both letter and spirit, adding that regular reviews should be conducted in line with economic realities.
Comrade Ibrahim urged the Federal Government to urgently conclude the renegotiations with SSANU, NASU and NAAT in order to avert any looming crisis and sustain industrial peace across Nigerian universities.
