Precious Nwonu, Enugu
University workers across Nigeria have expressed dissatisfaction with the Federal Government’s payment of arrears under its 2026 agreement with university unions, citing incomplete payments, unpaid allowances and a lack of clarity over outstanding entitlements.
Findings across several institutions show that while some workers have received payments covering between six and nine months, others are still awaiting their money or seeking explanations on how the funds were distributed.
At the Federal University of Lafia, the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) chairman, Daniel Dajen, said members had received only six months’ arrears, despite the government’s claim that payments covering eight months had been released.
Dajen said the funds disbursed were insufficient to cover the full amount owed and called on the Federal Government to address the shortfall. He also faulted the lack of adequate consultation with universities before the funds were allocated.
At the University of Ilorin, SSANU chairman Falowo Naheem confirmed that members had received eight months’ arrears under the Consolidated Non-Teaching Tools Allowance (CONTTA) component of the agreement.
However, he said other allowances remained unpaid and expressed concern over the exclusion of eligible union members working in university health centres, including doctors, nurses, laboratory technologists and health records officers.
Falowo also listed withheld salaries, earned allowances, salary increments and promotion arrears among the outstanding entitlements, urging the government to ensure that all eligible workers benefited from the agreement.
At the University of Benin, SSANU chairman Julius Idu said members received eight months’ arrears but were expecting nine months, given that the agreement took effect in January 2026. He said one month’s payment, alongside excess workload, hazard and responsibility allowances, remained outstanding.
The SSANU chairman at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Dr Linus Akata, also confirmed that workers on the institution’s payroll had received eight months’ CONTTA arrears.
In contrast, the Chairman of the Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions at the Federal University of Kashere, Gombe State, Abdullahi Sani, said members had received their outstanding arrears.
At Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike, Abia State, NASU chairman Okechukwu Ndukwe confirmed that members received nine months’ arrears. He welcomed the payment but noted that inflation had reduced its purchasing power while other entitlements remained unsettled.
At the Federal University of Technology, Owerri, SSANU chairman Dr Franklin Duru said the university management began implementing the agreement in July using internally sourced funds before the Federal Government released money in October.
Duru said members had received arrears covering January to June, while some excess workload allowances remained unpaid. He added that the university had paid three months of the allowance arrears, with the balance awaiting computation and disbursement.
At Bayero University, Kano, SSANU chairman Mustapha Aminu said the management had paid 80 per cent of the outstanding salary and allowance arrears owed to non-teaching staff. He said a committee involving union and management representatives would be established to ensure the remaining funds reached eligible workers.
Meanwhile, checks at Kano State-owned institutions, including Northwest University, Kano, and the Kano University of Science and Technology, Wudil, indicated that the state government had paid outstanding allowances to non-teaching staff.
The payment situation at the Federal University of Petroleum Resources, Effurun, Delta State, remained unclear, as the institution’s management and relevant officials had not provided an update despite repeated inquiries.
Jigawa workers await payments
Non-teaching staff at several universities in Jigawa State said they were yet to receive payment alerts or official communications explaining the status of their arrears.
Checks at the Federal University Dutse, Sule Lamido University, Kafin-Hausa, the Federal University of Technology, Babura, and Jigawa State University of Medical and Allied Health Sciences, Majia, revealed uncertainty among workers over the implementation of the agreement.
A non-teaching staff member at the Federal University Dutse, Yusuf Abdullahi, said he had not received any payment despite reports of the government’s release of funds.
Similarly, a worker at the Federal University of Technology, Babura, Fatima Sule, said she was still waiting for her arrears.
Sule Lamido University’s Public Relations Officer, Sadiq Lawal, said payment of the outstanding arrears was the responsibility of the Jigawa State Government.
According to him, the government had promised to implement the arrears for members of the Academic Staff Union of Universities, SSANU and NASU, but the institution was still awaiting action.
The uncertainty has raised questions among workers at state-owned institutions about whether they are covered by the Federal Government’s reported disbursement or must rely on separate funding from their state governments.
Unions demand accountability
Beyond complaints about shortfalls, some unions have called for greater transparency in the management and distribution of the released funds.
At the Federal University Otuoke, Bayelsa State, ASUU branch chairman Professor Bruno Ikuli urged the university management to disclose the total amount received for salary arrears and explain how it was shared among staff.
Ikuli said some lecturers had received payments but were uncertain whether the amounts reflected their actual entitlements. He clarified that the union was not disputing the payments but wanted an account of the funds and the criteria used for distribution.
At Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University, Bauchi, SSANU chairman Sulisma Jatau said members had received the government-approved salary increments, although some non-financial provisions of the agreement remained outstanding.
He estimated that implementation of the financial aspects was between 85 and 90 per cent complete, while the non-financial components had reached between 70 and 80 per cent.
The Public Relations Officer of Sa’adu Zungur University, Auwal Hassan, also confirmed that staff at the institution received payments in September.
The varying experiences across the institutions have left some university workers demanding full payment of their entitlements, clear explanations of the disbursement process and the complete implementation of the agreement.
**Tags:** university workers, Federal Government, salary arrears, SSANU, university unions
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