The Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) has escalated its ongoing dispute with the Federal Government by issuing a one‑month ultimatum to resolve longstanding labour issues — including delayed salaries and withheld allowances — or face the prospect of an indefinite nationwide strike.

At the end of its 54th National Executive Council meeting held in Ekiti State, the union expressed deep frustration at the slow pace of renegotiations with government officials over the 2009 agreement governing non‑teaching staff terms of service and welfare. SSANU’s communiqué, signed by its National President Muhammad Ibrahim, warned that prolonged discussions without tangible results are unacceptable.

According to the union, the federal government has yet to fully address key demands — including the payment of unpaid salaries and earned allowances owed to its members — despite prior engagements. The failure to make meaningful progress, SSANU says, has left workers demoralised and compelled the union to give a 30‑day deadline for resolution, with the possibility of an indefinite strike if the issues remain unresolved.

SSANU’s threat adds to mounting pressure on the federal government as university unions seek a comprehensive renegotiation of employment terms originally outlined in agreements between non‑teaching staff and government negotiators. The union’s stance reflects growing impatience among university workers over perceived delays and lack of concrete outcomes from negotiations.

Observers say that if the government and SSANU fail to reach a compromise before the April deadline, the disruption could significantly impact academic activities nationwide — a scenario that would deepen concerns about stability in Nigeria’s higher education sector.