FG, SSANU, NASU Meeting Fails; Strike Continues Nationwide

A meeting on Monday between the Federal Government, the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU), and the Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions (NASU) ended in deadlock, prolonging a nationwide strike that began on April 30. The unions are demanding a 40% salary increase, rejecting the government's unilateral offer of a 30% increase and accusing the government of failing to adhere to the collective bargaining process mandated by labor law.

The strike has led to a complete shutdown of public universities across Nigeria, with Maiduguri University postponing exams due to the industrial action. SSANU President Moham Ibrahim described the strike as a total shutdown, emphasizing the unions' demands for fair equity and adherence to the minimum benchmark for negotiations.

NASU Chairperson Danjuma criticized the Federal Ministry of Education for its handling of university unions and insisted that the strike would continue until their demands are met and the 2009 agreement is fully renegotiated.