NASU, SSANU Suspend Strike Over Withheld Salaries Following Federal Government Intervention
NASU and SSANU, the unions representing non-academic staff at federal universities, have suspended their nationwide strike over withheld salaries.
Chris Oyeoku Okafor 
The Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions (NASU) and the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) have suspended their indefinite strike action, initially launched to protest withheld salaries.
The strike began on October 28, as non-teaching staff across federal universities nationwide took action following the withholding of their 2022 salaries. However, on November 2, the federal government responded by releasing the unpaid salaries and pending retirement benefits, prompting NASU and SSANU to issue a directive to their state chapters, suspending the strike for one month effective Tuesday, November 5.
Despite this development, NASU and SSANU noted that two months' worth of salaries remain unpaid. In a statement, the unions highlighted ongoing discussions concerning the remaining withheld wages, a proposed N50 billion allocation for earned allowances, arrears of 25/35 percent, and a wage award, all of which remain unresolved.
The controversy over withheld salaries dates back to 2022, when the federal government, under former President Muhammadu Buhari, withheld payments from university staff involved in an eight-month strike. In October 2023, President Bola Tinubu released four months of withheld salaries for teaching staff; however, non-teaching staff unions, including NASU and SSANU, expressed concerns over perceived discrimination, as they were excluded from the payout.
In July, both unions organized a pre-strike protest to demand government action on the unpaid salaries. Since then, NASU and SSANU have been in protracted negotiations with the ministries of labor, education, and finance.
