The Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) has expressed deep concern over the continued delay in the payment of salaries for its members, attributing the issue to the migration to the Government Integrated Financial and Management Information System (GIFMIS).
In a letter dated May 7, 2025, addressed to the Accountant General of the Federation, SSANU President Comrade Mohammed Ibrahim called for urgent intervention to prevent a potential breakdown in industrial harmony across Nigerian universities.
The union pointed out that the persistent salary delays have been occurring since the university-based unions exited the Integrated Personnel and Payroll Information System (IPPIS) platform, a decision that was part of the 2022 agreement which led to the suspension of their prolonged strike action.
“We are dismayed that, since our exit from IPPIS, the salaries of our members have consistently been paid weeks after other federal workers have received theirs. This is a source of anxiety and growing resentment among our members," Ibrahim stated.
The SSANU president highlighted that the delay is not just an administrative oversight but constitutes a breach of the agreement reached in 2022, which included an assurance that no member of the unions would be victimized for participating in the strike.
The letter further emphasized that these delays undermine the welfare of university staff, calling it a clear act of discrimination. The union has expressed that continued delays could lead to a breakdown of the fragile peace currently observed within Nigeria’s tertiary institutions.
“We urge your office to immediately investigate and address this issue to ensure our members are paid on time, in accordance with the federal payment schedule,” the letter read. “Failure to resolve this issue swiftly may compel us to take necessary actions to protect the rights and dignity of our members.”
SSANU has called for the situation to be rectified before it escalates into a more significant industrial conflict. The letter was also copied to key figures including the Minister of Education, Tunji Alausa, the Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr. Mohammed Dingyadi, and the Executive Secretary of the National Universities Commission (NUC).
The union trusts that the intervention of the relevant authorities will restore peace and resolve the ongoing salary issues for university staff.
