BY
ABDULKARIM ADAMU
Federal University
of Kashere
The Nigerian university system has, over the years, been shaped by the struggles of four major unions: the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), the Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions (NASU), the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU), and the National Association of Academic Technologists (NAAT). These unions were established to protect the welfare of their members and to advocate for better working conditions, adequate funding, and improved infrastructure in universities. However, despite sharing the same environment, they are rarely united. Each union pursues its own interests, often clashing with others, and this rivalry has contributed to frequent strikes and disruptions of academic calendars.
The disunity of the unions is
largely due to their different constituencies and priorities. ASUU,
representing academic staff, has consistently demanded revitalization funds,
better salaries, payment of earned academic allowances, and protection of university
autonomy. For instance, in March 2020, ASUU embarked on what became a
nine-month strike, the longest in Nigerian history, over government’s
insistence on using the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System
(IPPIS) and its failure to release revitalization funds promised in the 2009
agreement. NASU and SSANU, which represent non-teaching staff, have their own
set of demands centered on welfare, job security, earned allowances, and
pensions. In February 2021, both unions, under the Joint Action Committee
(JAC), went on a nationwide strike to protest irregularities in IPPIS salary
payments and the alleged exclusion of non-academic staff from benefits enjoyed
by their ASUU counterparts. NAAT, on the other hand, has focused on issues
affecting technologists, including funding for laboratories, training, and
recognition of their professional roles. In March 2020, NAAT declared a
two-week warning strike demanding ₦50
billion for laboratory equipment and a separate negotiation table with the
federal government to address technologists’ peculiar needs.
These differences in demands
illustrate why the unions are not united. While ASUU presses for academic
allowances and institutional autonomy, NASU and SSANU struggle for improved
welfare of administrative and technical staff, and NAAT demands modern laboratories
and recognition for technologists. This divergence was evident again in 2022,
when ASUU went on an eight-month strike over the non-implementation of the 2009
agreement, unpaid earned academic allowances, and government’s refusal to adopt
the University Transparency and Accountability Solution (UTAS). During the same
period, NASU and SSANU also embarked on strike actions over withheld salaries,
poor funding, and exclusion from earned allowances disbursement. Instead of
coordinating a joint approach, each union negotiated separately, weakening
their collective bargaining power.
The rivalry between the unions
has often raised questions of selfishness. ASUU, being the most prominent, is
frequently accused of prioritizing academic staff welfare at the expense of
students and other university workers. The prolonged strikes of 2020 and 2022
disrupted academic calendars nationwide, leaving students stranded for months
while ASUU focused on securing its demands. NASU and SSANU, though less
visible, have also been criticized for shutting down universities by locking
offices and disrupting essential services during their strikes, such as the one
in 2021 that paralyzed bursary and registry activities. NAAT, though smaller in
size, sometimes appears narrow in its struggles, focusing mainly on laboratory
allowances and technologists’ recognition rather than broader systemic issues.
In truth, none of the unions can be described as entirely selfless. Each
defends the interests of its own members more than the collective progress of
the university system, which fosters rivalry and mistrust.
The way forward lies in fostering
unity and strengthening dialogue. Rather than operating in silos, ASUU, NASU,
SSANU, and NAAT need to form a strong joint negotiation platform where demands
are harmonized before engaging with the federal government. This will reduce
duplication of strikes and increase their bargaining strength. Collective
interests such as adequate funding for infrastructure, research, and
laboratories should take precedence over disputes about allowances. The
government also has a critical role to play. Successive administrations have
often exploited union disunity through a divide-and-rule approach, negotiating
with one union while ignoring others. A holistic negotiation framework that
addresses the concerns of all unions at the same time is essential for lasting
peace. In addition, internal reforms in union leadership, emphasizing
transparency and accountability, would help reduce suspicions of selfishness
and ensure that members’ struggles genuinely contribute to the growth of the university
system.
In conclusion, the disunity among
Nigerian university unions stems from their divergent constituencies,
conflicting demands, and competition for resources. Recent events, such as the
nine-month ASUU strike in 2020, the 2021 NASU and SSANU strike, NAAT’s warning
strike in 2020, and the prolonged ASUU strike of 2022, illustrate how their
differences have destabilized universities and disrupted students’ futures.
While each union has legitimate demands, their selfish pursuit of narrow
interests undermines the collective goal of strengthening Nigerian
universities. The path forward lies in unity, sincerity, and collaborative
dialogue. Only by working together can the unions secure lasting reforms and
restore stability to the Nigerian university system.
