UNILORIN Shuts Down as SSANU, NASU Launch Indefinite Nationwide Strike Over Pay Dispute
Operations at the University of Ilorin (UNILORIN) have been brought to a standstill following the commencement of an indefinite industrial action by the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) and the Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions (NASU).
Global Mirror News gathered that the strike, which officially began on May 1, 2026, has paralysed academic and administrative activities across the campus, with Union members staging a peaceful protest at the institution’s main gate on Monday.
Demonstrators carried placards demanding improved welfare conditions, immediate payment of withheld salaries, and a 45 per cent salary increment—firmly rejecting the Federal Government’s proposed 30 per cent pay rise.
Speaking during the protest, SSANU Chairman at UNILORIN, Prof. Falowo Olushola, attributed the industrial action to the Federal Government’s prolonged failure to fully implement the 2009 agreement reached with non-teaching staff unions. He stressed that despite multiple ultimatums issued in December 2025 and March 2026, authorities had yet to take decisive action.
Olushola maintained that the Unions remain resolute in their demand for the complete implementation of the agreement, warning that any offer below a 45 per cent salary increase would be unacceptable to members.
Similarly, NASU Chairman at the University, Suberu Ibrahim, described the protest as part of a protracted struggle for fair treatment, noting that renegotiations of the 2009 agreement have lingered unresolved since 2017.
He highlighted what he termed glaring disparities in salary adjustments, pointing out that academic staff reportedly received about a 40 per cent increase earlier in 2026, while non-teaching staff were excluded from similar benefits.
Ibrahim further revealed that union members are owed substantial arrears, including approximately 14 months of unpaid salaries dating back to 2022, insisting that these outstanding payments must be cleared as part of any resolution.
The strike has significantly disrupted campus operations, halting transport services and crippling essential administrative functions.
Union leaders emphasized that the action is intended to underscore the indispensable role of non-teaching staff in the effective functioning of Nigeria’s university system.
A last-minute meeting between Union representatives and government officials held on April 29 reportedly ended in a deadlock, prompting the Joint Action Committee of SSANU and NASU to proceed with the strike.
The ongoing industrial action is not limited to UNILORIN but extends to Federal and State Universities Nationwide, as well as Inter-University centres.
Monitoring teams have been deployed to ensure compliance, with union leaders insisting that the strike will persist until all demands are fully addressed by the Government.
