Wednesday, July 29, 2026 -Workers’ unions in Lagos State-owned universities have issued a seven-day ultimatum to the state government to address their outstanding welfare demands, warning that failure to do so could result in an indefinite industrial action.
The unions are demanding the immediate implementation of
agreements reached between the Federal Government and major university-based
unions, including the Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, Senior Staff
Association of Nigerian Universities, SSANU, and National Association of
Academic Technologists, NAAT, which they said became effective from January 1,
2026.
They also called on the government to release funds for the
payment of the N50,000 palliative announced for workers on May 1, 2026,
stressing that failure to meet their demands within the stipulated period would
leave them with no option but to embark on a strike.
The ultimatum was announced on Monday during a joint press
briefing by the Joint Action Committee, JAC, of Lagos State-owned universities,
held at the Lagos State University, LASU, Ojo campus.
Representatives of ASUU, the Non-Academic Staff Union, NASU,
SSANU and NAAT attended the briefing, where they appealed to the state
government to take immediate steps to prevent a disruption of academic
activities in the affected institutions.
The institutions affected include Lagos State University,
LASU, Lagos State University of Science and Technology, LASUSTECH, Lagos State
University of Education, LASUED, and Lagos State University College of
Medicine, LASUCOM.
Addressing journalists on behalf of the unions, ASUU-LASU
Chairman, Prof. Ibrahim Bakare, said Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu had announced
the N50,000 palliative for all Lagos State workers during the May 1, 2026
Workers’ Day celebration.
Bakare explained that government communication on the
initiative indicated that staff of tertiary institutions were included, but
noted that while civil servants in the state received the payment, workers in
state-owned universities were left out despite several engagements with
relevant authorities.
He said the unions had made several efforts to resolve the
matter through consultations and official correspondence with key government
officials, including the governor, deputy governor, commissioners for Tertiary
Education and Establishments, Training, the Head of Service, the Speaker of the
Lagos State House of Assembly, the Accountant-General, and other relevant
officials.
However, Bakare expressed dissatisfaction with the
government’s response, describing the communication received from authorities
as unclear and lacking a definite commitment to fulfilling the promise made to
university workers.
“We explored every peaceful and reasonable avenue available
to us because we believe in dialogue. Unfortunately, our members have become
exhausted and can no longer continue to wait while other categories of public
servants have received the payment,” he said.
He stated that following consultations among workers across
the affected institutions, the unions decided to give the government seven days
to resolve the issue and commence the release of funds.
Bakare warned that if the demands were not addressed before
the expiration of the ultimatum, the unions would be forced to consider
industrial action.
“We pray industrial action does not happen, but if we are
pushed to that point, we will have no other option. We cannot continue to allow
our members to suffer under the current economic realities,” he said.
The ASUU-LASU chairman also disclosed that Lagos State had
accumulated seven months of unpaid obligations arising from Federal Government
agreements with university unions.
He recalled that Deputy Governor Obafemi Hamzat had earlier
assured workers that future agreements reached with the Federal Government
would be implemented promptly to prevent the accumulation of arrears.
Bakare noted that some state-owned universities in Ekiti and
Osun states had already implemented similar agreements, describing the delay in
Lagos as unexpected considering the state’s status as one of Nigeria’s most
developed states.
The unions further appealed to the government to address
other outstanding welfare issues, including the release of staff buses promised
by Governor Sanwo-Olu and the resolution of the 20 per cent salary-related
matter raised during previous negotiations.
Also speaking, NASU-LASU Chairman, Comrade Obafemi Sanni,
accused the government of showing insufficient commitment towards resolving
issues affecting workers in tertiary institutions.
Sanni said the unions had been compelled to issue the
ultimatum because of the prolonged delay in implementing agreements reached
with the government.
He maintained that unless urgent steps were taken before the
deadline, the unions would have no choice but to commence an indefinite strike.
The workers’ representatives reaffirmed their commitment to
dialogue but insisted that addressing staff welfare concerns was necessary to
maintain industrial peace and stability across Lagos State-owned universities.
They also appealed to the state government to act swiftly,
warning that many workers were facing severe hardship.
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