SSANU warns of strike, demands salary payments, entitlements and urgent renegotiation as delays worsen hardship across Nigerian universities nationwide.
The Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) has asked the federal government to immediately reconvene the renegotiation process; end salary delays and pay withheld salaries to avert imminent industrial action.
The association also urged the government to implement salary increments and ensure fair disbursement of Earned Allowances to all eligible workers.
In a communique signed by the National President of SSANU, Mohammed Ibrahim, the union demanded the protection of jobs under any reform framework; and the establishment of a standing consultative mechanism between government and university unions for continuous dialogue and early dispute resolution.
It condemned the persistent delays in the payment of salaries of staff in federal and some state universities, as well as the non-payment of approved increments and other withheld entitlements.
“Council notes that these recurring delays have imposed severe hardship on members and their families, weakened morale, and undermined productivity across the university system.
“NEC therefore demands the immediate settlement of all outstanding salary-related issues and the establishment of a reliable and unified salary payment structure,” part of the communique read.
SSANU said that the continued neglect of the welfare of university workers and the persistent delay in resolving critical labour issues can no longer be tolerated.
“The federal government is hereby called upon to take immediate, sincere, and decisive steps to conclude the renegotiation process, settle all outstanding entitlements, and restore confidence in its commitment to industrial justice within the university system.
SSANU has demonstrated maturity, patience, and goodwill in the face of provocation and hardship.
“However, NEC makes it abundantly clear that if government fails to act within the stipulated timeframe, the Union will not hesitate to embark on decisive and lawful industrial action.
“SSANU remains firmly united and fully prepared to defend the rights, welfare, and dignity of its members,” it said.
ENDS
CPPE Urges CBN to Link Banking Sector to Real Economy After Recapitalisation Gains
18-word Excerpt:
CPPE urges CBN to reconnect banks to real economy, boost SME lending and drive growth after recapitalisation success.
Dike Onwuamaeze With the banking recapitalisation exercise largely achieved, the the Centre for the Promotion of Private Enterprise (CPPE) has urged the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and the fiscal authorities to see the reconnecting of the banking system to the real economy as the next critical phase of financial service sector’s reform.
SSANU Threatens Strike, Demands Salary Payments, Immediate Conclusion Of Renegotiation Process
The brief decried the situation where the services sector is accounting for about 55 per cent of total credit, while manufacturing, agriculture and Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) are receiving about 14 per cent, 5.0 per cent and 1.0 per cent respectively, saying that this is inconsistent with Nigeria’s aspirations for economic growth.
The Chief Executive Officer of CPPE, Dr. Muda Yusuf, said in the brief that “the recapitalisation programme has successfully strengthened the resilience and stability of Nigeria’s banking system,” which the CBN deserved commendation, especially for delivering a reform process that has been both effective and non-disruptive.
“However, the ultimate success of this reform will be determined not just by stronger balance sheets, but by the extent to which the banking system supports investment, enterprise, job creation and economic transformation.
“At this critical juncture, the priority must shift from capital adequacy to economic impact.
“Nigeria needs not just stronger banks, but banks that work for the economy.”
Yusuf said that the next phase of banking reform should focus on how to “increase private sector credit as a percentage of GDP to at least 30 per cent in the medium term, de-risk lending to SMEs through credit guarantees and improved credit infrastructure and the strengthening of the monetary policy transmission to ensure lower policy rates translate to real sector lending.”
He also urged the CBN to incentivise long-term financing for productive sectors, promote a more balanced sectoral allocation of credit, expand access to consumer credit to stimulate aggregate demand and address the crowding-out effects of public sector borrowing.
The CPPE stated the successful implementation of the bank recapitalisation programme marked a significant milestone in the ongoing effort to strengthen the resilience, stability and capacity of the Nigerian banking system.
It also said the orderly and non-disruptive manner the recapitalisation exercise was carried without reports of depositor losses, forced mergers, job losses or erosion of shareholder value marked a significant improvement over past consolidation episodes and reflected stronger regulatory capacity, improved market discipline and greater resilience within the banking system.
“However, while recapitalisation has significantly strengthened the capacity of banks to absorb shocks, support large-ticket transactions and enhance financial system stability, the critical question now is whether this stronger banking system will sufficiently support the real economy,” Yusuf said, noting that currently “the evidence suggests that this linkage remains weak.”
He pointed out that private sector credit as a percentage of GDP in Nigeria is still only about 17 per cent as of 2025, compared to a Sub-Saharan African average of about 25 per cent and approximately 34 per cent for lower-middle-income countries.
He stated further that peer economies such as South Africa, Mauritius and Cape Verde are recording 57.5 per cent, 69.8 per cent and 66.3 per cent respectively to demonstrate significantly stronger financial intermediation.
This gap underscores a persistent structural disconnect between the financial system and productive sectors of the economy.
According to him, consumer credit in Nigeria remained extremely low at about 7.0 per cent of total credit, compared to a sub-Saharan African average of 15–25 per cent.
Yusuf said: “More critically, credit to SMEs is alarmingly low. SME credit accounts for only about 1.0 per cent of total credit, compared to an average of about 5.0 per cent in sub-Saharan Africa.
“This is particularly troubling given that SMEs contribute approximately 50 per cent of GDP and over 80 per cent of employment, with an estimated financing gap of about ₦48 trillion, according to PwC.
“This represents one of the most significant weaknesses in Nigeria’s financial architecture.”
He averred that there are important structural concerns regarding the nature and distribution of credit in the economy.
Yusuf said: “A large proportion of bank lending remains short-term in nature.
“Credit with maturity of less than one year, accounts for about 55 per cent of total credit, while long-term credit that is above three Year’s accounts for only about 25 per cent.
“This structure is not aligned with the financing needs of critical sectors such as manufacturing, agriculture, infrastructure and real estate.”
He added that the sectoral allocation of credit has remained skewed.
“The services sector accounts for about 55 per cent of total credit, while manufacturing receives about 14 per cent and agriculture just 5.0 per cent.
“This pattern is inconsistent with Nigeria’s aspirations for economic diversification, industrialisation and job creation,” he said.
The CPPE said that several factors have continued to constrain the effective transmission of financial sector strength to the real economy.
These factors include the crowding-out effect of high government borrowing, a tight monetary policy environment and elevated interest rates, high risk perception and stringent collateral requirements for SMEs and an incentive structure that favour short-term, low-risk financial investments over real sector lending
Therefore, “with recapitalisation largely achieved,” the CPPE “urges the CBN and the fiscal authorities to prioritise the next critical phase of reform, which should be reconnecting the banking system to the real economy.”