FG Releases Eight Months’ Arrears for Non-Academic Tertiary Workers After SSANU Ultimatum
The Federal Government has announced the release of eight months of payments for non-academic workers in federal tertiary institutions, easing an immediate strike threat from the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities.
But the wider dispute is not over.
Education Minister Tunji Alausa said the payment covers January to August 2026 under the Consolidated Non-Academic Staff Tertiary Institutions Allowance, or CONTA.
The intervention covers non-academic staff in federal universities, polytechnics and colleges of education.
SSANU President Mohammed Ibrahim also confirmed the release of eight months of arrears to members, saying it followed pressure from the union after its latest ultimatum to the government.
Strike threat eases, other claims remain
SSANU said the immediate threat of industrial action had been averted.
The union, however, says other financial claims remain unresolved.
These include two months’ salaries withheld during the 2022 industrial action and one year of arrears linked to earlier 25 per cent and 35 per cent salary increases.
SSANU has also complained about delays and uneven implementation of its 2026 agreement with the Federal Government.
The latest payment therefore removes one immediate source of tension without settling the wider labour dispute.
What exactly did government release?
There is a difference in how the payment has been described.
The Education Minister identified the January-to-August entitlement as CONTA.
SSANU and several news reports described it as eight months of salary arrears.
Until a primary payment schedule or circular clarifies the classification, both descriptions should remain attributed.
There is also a second distinction.
Government saying funds have been released does not automatically mean every eligible worker has received the full amount.
SSANU has asked members to confirm payment through their institutions and report any shortfall or irregularity.
That makes actual receipt by institutions and workers the next key verification point.
Attention now shifts to implementation
For the government, the test is whether the released funds reach affected institutions and eligible workers without delay or discrepancy.
For SSANU, the focus shifts to confirming those payments while pursuing the outstanding claims it says remain unpaid.
For students, the immediate consequence is that the threatened strike has, for now, been pulled back.
But the pressure has not disappeared.
The latest release has reduced the risk of an immediate shutdown. Whether it produces lasting industrial stability will depend on how quickly the payments reach workers — and what happens to the claims still on the table.
