University workers report salary arrears shortfalls as inions demand full payment

University workers across Nigeria have reported mixed outcomes following the Federal Government’s release of funds for arrears under its 2026 agreement with university unions, with several staff members alleging incomplete payments, outstanding allowances and a lack of clarity over their entitlements.

Investigations across several tertiary institutions revealed that while some universities had disbursed the arrears to eligible employees, others were still grappling with incomplete payments or awaiting clarification on the implementation of the agreement.

At the Federal University of Lafia, the Chairman of the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU), Daniel Dajen, said members had received payments equivalent to six months’ arrears, rather than the eight months reportedly covered by the government’s release.

Dajen explained that the amount received was insufficient to settle the full period of arrears announced by the Federal Government. He attributed the shortfall to concerns about how the funds were allocated, alleging that universities were not adequately consulted to determine the amount required to pay eligible workers.

He appealed to the government to address the discrepancy and ensure that affected employees received their full entitlements.

At the University of Ilorin, SSANU branch chairman Falowo Naheem said the eight months’ payment related to the Consolidated Non-Teaching Tools Allowance (CONTTA), but other components of the agreement remained unpaid.

Falowo expressed concern that some eligible non-teaching employees, particularly those working in university health centres, had been excluded from the payments. The affected categories, he said, included doctors, nurses, health records officers, laboratory technologists and other eligible health personnel.

He urged the Federal Government to release the funds required to implement the agreement fully, stressing that workers who qualified for the benefits should not be left out.

Other unresolved matters identified by the union included withheld salaries, earned allowances, applicable salary increments and outstanding promotion arrears.

At the University of Benin, however, SSANU chairman Julius Idu confirmed that members had received eight months of arrears. He said the union expected nine months because the agreement became effective in January 2026.

Idu added that one month’s arrears remained outstanding, alongside excess workload payments and hazard and responsibility allowances. He called on the government to settle the outstanding amounts and ensure that all provisions of the agreement were implemented.

The SSANU chairman at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Dr Linus Akata, also confirmed that eligible members on the university’s payroll had received eight months of CONTTA arrears.

Similarly, the Chairman of the Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions (NASU) at the Federal University of Kashere, Gombe State, Abdullahi Sani, said members had received their outstanding arrears. Attempts to reach the institution’s SSANU chairman, Musa Adamu, were unsuccessful before the report was filed.

At Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike, Abia State, NASU chairman Okechukwu Ndukwe confirmed that members had been paid nine months of arrears. However, he noted that rising inflation had reduced the purchasing power of the money received while workers continued to await other outstanding entitlements.

The situation was different at the Federal University of Technology, Owerri, where SSANU chairman Dr Franklin Duru said the university management had started implementing the agreement in July using funds sourced independently before the Federal Government released money in October.

According to Duru, members had received arrears covering January to June. However, payments relating to excess workload allowances remained incomplete, with the university having settled three months of the outstanding amount while the balance awaited computation and disbursement.

At Bayero University, Kano, SSANU chairman Mustapha Aminu disclosed that the management had paid approximately 80 per cent of the outstanding salary and allowance arrears owed to non-teaching employees.

He said plans were underway to establish a committee comprising representatives of the university management and the unions to oversee the remaining payments and ensure that eligible workers received their entitlements.

Meanwhile, checks at two Kano State-owned institutions, Northwest University, Kano, and the Kano University of Science and Technology, Wudil, indicated that the state government had settled outstanding allowances owed to non-teaching staff.

The position at the Federal University of Petroleum Resources, Effurun, Delta State, remained uncertain, as the institution’s management and relevant officials had not provided an update despite repeated inquiries.

Read also:

Jigawa university staff await payment updates

Uncertainty over the implementation of the agreement persisted among non-teaching employees at several universities in Jigawa State, where some workers said they had received neither payment alerts nor official communication explaining the status of their arrears.

The institutions included the Federal University Dutse, Sule Lamido University, Kafin-Hausa, the Federal University of Technology, Babura, and the Jigawa State University of Medical and Allied Health Sciences, Majia.

At the Federal University Dutse, a non-teaching employee, Yusuf Abdullahi, said he had yet to receive any payment despite reports of the Federal Government’s release of funds.

He said workers were learning about the payments through news reports but had not seen the money reflected in their accounts.

Fatima Sule, an employee of the Federal University of Technology, Babura, also confirmed that she was still waiting for her payment.

At Sule Lamido University, the Public Relations Officer, Sadiq Lawal, said responsibility for settling the outstanding arrears rested with the Jigawa State Government.

According to Lawal, the government had indicated its intention to implement the arrears for members of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), SSANU and NASU, but the university was still awaiting action.

The situation has raised questions about how the reported Federal Government disbursement applies to state-owned universities, where workers may depend on separate funding arrangements and decisions by their respective state governments.

Unions demand accountability over disbursements

Beyond complaints about incomplete payments, some university unions are demanding greater transparency from managements over the funds received and the calculations used to determine individual entitlements.

At the Federal University Otuoke, Bayelsa State, ASUU branch chairman Professor Bruno Ikuli called on the university management to disclose the amount received for salary arrears and explain how the funds were distributed among staff members.

Ikuli said some lecturers had received payments but were uncertain whether the amounts corresponded with what they were entitled to under the agreement.

He clarified that the union was not denying that payments had been made but wanted the management to provide a breakdown of the funds received and the basis for the disbursement.

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 were yet to be fully implemented.

Jatau estimated that the financial aspects of the agreement were between 85 and 90 per cent complete, while implementation of the non-financial provisions stood at between 70 and 80 per cent.

The Public Relations Officer of Sa’adu Zungur University, Auwal Hassan, also confirmed that staff members at the institution received their payments in September.

The differing accounts from universities across the country highlight persistent concerns over the implementation of the 2026 agreement, particularly the adequacy of funds released, the inclusion of eligible staff categories and the settlement of outstanding allowances.

While some institutions have made substantial progress in paying their workers, union leaders continue to call for full implementation of the agreement, transparent accounting of disbursed funds and clear communication on when outstanding entitlements will be settled.

Source: THE PUNCH