SSANU raises alarm over delayed February salaries for federal university staff, warning of hardship and possible union action if payments remain unpaid

The Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) on Thursday warned that the delay in the payment of February 2026 salaries to workers in federal universities is causing severe hardship for staff and their families across the country.

Also read: SSANU, NASU protest over unpaid allowances

SSANU National President Mohammed Ibrahim raised the concern in a statement, saying the situation has placed significant financial pressure on university employees and is beginning to affect morale and productivity within the institutions.

According to the union, the development is deeply troubling and requires urgent intervention from the Government Integrated Financial Management Information System (GIFMIS) office under the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation to ensure immediate payment of the outstanding salaries.

“This unfortunate situation has created significant financial strain for our members and their families,” the statement said.

“Beyond the personal hardship it imposes, the delay in salary payment is steadily eroding confidence in the system, lowering staff morale, and inevitably affecting productivity and overall institutional performance within our universities.”

The union stressed that workers who devote their time and expertise to sustaining the country’s university system deserve timely payment for their services.

SSANU also attributed the delay to what it described as inconsistencies in the government’s salary payment system for university employees.

The association noted that frequent movement between the GIFMIS and the Remita payment platforms in recent months has created uncertainty and operational inefficiencies.

“Investigations conducted reveal that the inconsistent approach in handling payment of universities staff salaries which involved jumping from GIFMIS to Remita and back in the last few months have clearly shown the government’s inconsistency in policy direction,” the statement added.

As a solution, the union recommended that the Federal Government adopt the Remita platform for salary payments to university staff, describing it as a more seamless and reliable system.

SSANU further expressed concern about the slow pace of the ongoing renegotiation process between the Federal Government and non-teaching university unions, including SSANU and the Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions (NASU).

While acknowledging the efforts of the chairman of the Federal Government renegotiation committee, Yayale Ahmed, the union said the process has yet to produce a conclusive and satisfactory outcome.

The association also faulted recent public comments attributed to the Federal Ministry of Education (Nigeria), which suggested that industrial harmony had been achieved in the university system and that union concerns had been resolved.

SSANU argued that such statements do not reflect the current realities of negotiations and could mislead the public.

“While we recognise and appreciate the contributions of stakeholders working towards a resolution, SSANU believes that the Ministry of Education must demonstrate stronger commitment, urgency and leadership to ensure that the renegotiation process reaches a logical and mutually acceptable conclusion,” the union said.

The association added that the silence of the Minister of Education at this stage was no longer helpful to the process.

SSANU warned that the stability of Nigeria’s university system depends not only on dialogue but also on timely implementation of agreements and responsible communication with the public.

The union therefore urged the Federal Government to ensure the immediate payment of February 2026 salaries for federal university workers, noting that many members are currently observing Ramadan or the Lent fasting period.

It also called for accelerated negotiations with non-teaching university unions and accurate public communication regarding the status of discussions.

SSANU warned that failure to address the issues could prompt further action by its members.

“Anything short of the above will clearly invite our unions to seek redress in every legal means possible, including but not limited to withdrawal of our services and picketing of government offices concerned,” the statement said.

Also read: SSANU AAUA strike threat over unpaid salaries

The association nevertheless reaffirmed its commitment to constructive engagement with the Federal Government in order to sustain industrial harmony and protect the integrity of Nigeria’s university system.