The Joint Action Committee (JAC), comprising the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) and the Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions (NASU), has officially agreed to suspend its ongoing indefinite strike.
The decision follows a high-stakes meeting held on Tuesday with the Federal Government’s Expanded Renegotiation Committee. In a circular titled “Update on Strike Action,” union leaders directed branch chairmen to convene congresses and prepare for a full resumption of duties effective Monday, May 11, 2026.
The breakthrough came after exhaustive deliberations led by the government’s committee chairman, Alhaji Yayale Ahmed.
During the session, the government team extracted a commitment to conclude all renegotiations—including a reviewed offer of the Consolidated Tertiary Institutions Salary Structure (CONTISS)—within a strict two-week window.
This commitment notably includes the withdrawal of a previous 30 percent salary increase offer, which the unions had earlier rejected as “paltry” and not reflective of a true collective bargaining agreement.
SSANU National President, Comrade Mohammed Ibrahim, and NASU General Secretary, Prince Peters Adeyemi, noted that the suspension was a gesture of good faith following a “passionate appeal” from federal negotiators.
The committee highlighted the necessity of obtaining final approval from President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for any further financial reviews.
The unions had initially downed tools on April 30 after the expiration of a 30-day ultimatum, paralyzing administrative activities across various federal and state universities nationwide.
While the suspension offers a temporary reprieve for the Nigerian university system, the JAC leadership has cautioned that the peace may be short-lived.
Sources close to the unions indicated that the strike remains a potent tool if the government fails to honor its pledge to finalize the 2009 Agreement renegotiations within the stipulated fourteen-day period.
For now, branch leaders have been urged to maintain communication with members as engagements with relevant stakeholders continue.
