Nigerian Government, University Non-Academic Staff Unions Conclude Agreement Renegotiation

The Nigerian government has finalized the renegotiation of the 2009 agreement with the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) and the Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions (NASU). This development marks a significant step after prolonged negotiations that had previously led to industrial action.

Peters Adeyemi, the President of NASU, briefly confirmed the conclusion of the renegotiations to PREMIUM TIMES on Monday, stating that the union would issue a formal statement later. The non-academic staff unions had expressed frustration over the sluggish pace of the renegotiation process, which commenced in October. In the preceding month, the unions had withdrawn their services to protest the delays.

This agreement mirrors a similar renegotiation concluded with the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) in December, which also brought an end to a 16-year-long process. While the agreements are signed separately with each union, they fundamentally outline the welfare and conditions of service for their respective members.

Notably, SSANU and NASU had reportedly rejected the 30% increment proposed by the government's negotiation team, led by the Pro-Chancellor of Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria, Yayale Ahmed. The non-academic unions insisted on a 40% increment, aligning with the terms secured by their academic counterparts in ASUU.

The 2009 agreement, originally signed between the Nigerian government and various university workers' unions, including ASUU, SSANU, and NASU, stipulated terms for workers' pay and conditions of service. This agreement was intended to be renegotiated every three years but had been stalled for many years, leading to recurrent industrial actions in public universities. The non-academic unions have consistently accused the government of affording them less favorable treatment compared to academic staff during negotiation processes. The SSANU and NASU agreement's conclusion, six months after ASUU's, despite being handled by the same committee, highlights this perceived disparity.

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The union will release a statement later.