National News – The Federal Government is making a last-minute push to prevent a nationwide university shutdown as it convenes a crucial meeting with leaders of the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities and the Non-Academic Staff Union on Wednesday in Abuja.
The talks, initiated by the Ministry of Education under Tunji Alausa, follow rising tensions over a controversial 30 per cent salary increment announced for non-academic staff.
The dispute erupted after union leaders under the Joint Action Committee rejected the proposed pay raise, arguing it did not emerge from ongoing negotiations and undermines established collective bargaining processes.
Officials from both Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities and Non-Academic Staff Union of Universities have maintained that their ultimatum remains active despite agreeing to attend the meeting.
At the heart of the crisis is the government’s attempt to address wage disparities following a separate 40 per cent increase granted to the Academic Staff Union of Universities.
Insiders say the move, intended to balance staff welfare across institutions, has instead deepened mistrust, with union leaders insisting no agreement has been finalised by the negotiation committee chaired by Yayale Ahmed.
Across campuses, anxiety is building. Students and parents in cities like Lagos and beyond fear another disruption to the already fragile academic calendar, while education stakeholders warn that repeated industrial actions continue to erode confidence in public universities.
Analysts suggest the government’s strategy reflects urgency but risks backfiring if perceived as unilateral.
Labour experts note that bypassing consensus could trigger prolonged strikes, further straining Nigeria’s education system and economy.
For many Nigerians, the outcome of Wednesday’s meeting will signal whether dialogue can still resolve disputes in a sector long plagued by recurring shutdowns.
As both sides head into negotiations, the stakes remain high: a compromise could stabilise universities, but failure may plunge the system into yet another cycle of uncertainty.
