The National Association of Academic Technologists (NAAT) has accused the Federal Government of deliberately taking steps to trigger an industrial crisis in Nigeria’s tertiary institutions. The accusation was made during the union’s 62nd National Executive Council (NEC) meeting held at the National Secretariat Complex, Yakubu Gowon University.
Background of the Dispute
NAAT has been engaged with the Federal Government since 2017 through multiple committees to renegotiate the FGN/NAAT 2009 Agreement, which was originally due for review in 2012. The process has spanned nine years and involved several committees, including those led by Dr Bolanle Babalakin (2017), Prof. Munzali Jibril (2020), the late Prof. Nimi Briggs (2022), and the current committee under Mahmud Yayale Ahmed, inaugurated in 2024.
Union’s Concerns
The union acknowledged the commitment of the Yayale Ahmed committee, noting agreements signed with other tertiary unions. However, the NEC-in-Session rejected the committee’s offer made on March 31, 2026, at the National Universities Commission. NAAT stated that the offer fails to address current economic realities, including the soaring costs of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), cooking gas, and electricity tariffs.
Of greater concern to the union are letters dated March 30, 2026, including one from the Office of the Head of the Civil Service to the National Salaries, Income, and Wages Commission, approving a 30 per cent allowance increase for non-teaching staff. NAAT complained that this letter was issued without its concluded agreement, insisting that such actions undermine the renegotiation process, violate collective bargaining principles, and foster wage disparities.
Union’s Response
A communique signed by NAAT’s National President, Ibeji Nwokoma, stated: “NAAT rejects this award and will resist it through all legal means, thwarting any divide-and-rule strategy. NAAT urges well-meaning Nigerians, clergy, civil society, the Nigeria Labour Congress, students, and parents to press the FGN to reconvene promptly and conclude renegotiations honourably. Absent this, the government bears responsibility for impending academic disruptions and loss of institutional peace.”
The union warned that failure to address these issues could lead to academic disruptions and a breakdown of industrial harmony in the nation’s universities.
