SSANU LAUTECH Chair, Comrade Oyelere Writes Tinubu, Seeks Conclusion of 2009 Renegotiation Before March 2026

The Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU), LAUTECH Branch, under the leadership of Comrade Fajoye Hamzat Oyelere (aka Obama), has written an open letter to President Bola Tinubu, urging him to intervene in the stalled renegotiation of the 2009 SSANU/FGN agreement. 

While the Federal Government has concluded renegotiations with ASUU and paid its members, SSANU and other non-teaching staff unions have been left out, despite their essential roles in keeping universities running. 

Obama, in his open letter, highlighted economic hardship, inflation, and declining morale among its members, stressing that fairness and equity demand equal treatment. 

SSANU called for the renegotiation to be concluded before its National Executive Council meeting in March 2026, warning that continued delay could threaten industrial harmony in Nigerian universities.

Below is the letter: 

OPEN LETTER TO THE PRESIDENT OF THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA

To:
His Excellency,
President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces
Federal Republic of Nigeria

Your Excellency,

URGENT NEED FOR PRESIDENTIAL INTERVENTION IN THE CONCLUSION OF THE 2009 SSANU/FGN AGREEMENT RENEGOTIATION: MR PRESIDENT, NON-TEACHING STAFF DESERVES JUSTICE TOO.

On behalf of the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU), LAUTECH Branch, under the leadership of Comrade Fajoye Hamzat Oyelere (aka Obama), we respectfully but firmly draw your attention to the prolonged delay in concluding the renegotiation of the 2009 Agreement between SSANU and the Federal Government of Nigeria.

Your Excellency, it is on public record that the Federal Government has successfully concluded the renegotiation process with the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) and has effected payment to its members across Federal Universities in the country. However, similar progress has not been recorded in respect of SSANU and other non-teaching staff unions operating within the same university system.

This uneven approach to engagement raises critical concerns about fairness, inclusiveness, and balance in the management of Nigeria’s tertiary education sector.

Non-teaching staff are not peripheral actors in the university system. SSANU members provide essential administrative, technical, research-support, and professional services that sustain the daily operations of our institutions. The stability of Nigerian universities rests not only on academic staff but on the collective contributions of all stakeholders.

The Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria upholds principles of equity, justice, and non-discrimination. Industrial harmony and sustainable national development must reflect these constitutional values. A situation where one segment of the university workforce receives expedited attention while others are left in prolonged uncertainty sends troubling signals and risks undermining confidence in the system.

Your Excellency, our members are facing the same harsh economic realities confronting all Nigerians. Inflationary pressures, rising living costs, and declining purchasing power have significantly affected the welfare of university workers. The continued delay in concluding the renegotiation process has deepened frustration and lowered morale among non-teaching staff across the country.

We therefore respectfully call on your esteemed office to urgently direct the completion of the renegotiation process with SSANU and the other non-teaching staff unions on or before the second week of March 2026. This timeline coincides with the scheduled National Executive Council (NEC) meeting of our great union and provides a crucial window to preserve industrial peace and prevent avoidable disruptions to the academic and administrative calendar of our universities.

SSANU members are not second-class citizens within the Nigerian university system. What is considered just and appropriate for one union should, in fairness and equity, be extended to others operating under the same institutional framework.

While SSANU remains committed to dialogue, national development, and responsible unionism, we must state clearly that prolonged inaction may compel the union to consider lawful measures to protect the rights, dignity, and welfare of its members.

Nigeria’s universities are strategic national assets. Their stability is essential to human capital development, innovation, and economic growth. We trust in your leadership and sense of justice to ensure that this matter receives the urgent and balanced attention it deserves. A stitch in time saves nine.

Please accept the assurances of our highest regards.

Respectfully,

Comrade Fajoye Hamzat Oyelere (aka Obama)
Chairman, SSANU LAUTECH Branch

For and on behalf of the Branch Executive Committee