The National Association of Academic Technologists (NAAT) will begin a nationwide protest on August 6, 2025, over withheld salaries and the government’s failure to implement minimum wage consequential adjustments in federal universities.

NAAT had, in June, issued a 21-day ultimatum to the Federal Government over unresolved labour issues. The ultimatum expired on July 4, without any action from the government, the body claimed.

Consequently, NAAT at its 59th National Executive Council (NEE) held at the Yobe State University, Damaturu, frowned at the lukewarm attitude of the government towards addressing its demands after extensive deliberations on issues affecting members of the union, the academic environment and the country at large.

In a statement issued by the NAAT President, Ibeji Nwokoma, the association also said it was open to dialogue with the government before the August 6 deadline.

Among the issues in contention issues include the sharing formula of the recently disbursed N50 billion where it was alleged that the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) was awarded 80 percent of the total sum, while the three non-teaching unions, NAAT, Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities, SSANU and the Non-Academic Union of Educational and Associated Institutions, NASU, were given 20 percent to share among themselves.

The statement read in part: “The NEC in session frowned at the modalities used by the Federal Government in the sharing formula and disbursement of the N50 billion Earned Allowances (EA) and Earned Academic Allowances (EAA) arrears.”

The NEC meeting also reviewed the declaration of a trade dispute against the Federal Ministry of Education, the National Universities Commission (NUC), Nnamdi Azikiwe University (NAU) and the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN), which was initiated by the Union on 2nd June 2025, where it issued a 21-day ultimatum to the federal government.

Other unresolved issues include the mainstreaming of allowances for NAAT members, like the field trip, student/technologist staff ratio supplementation, students’ work experience programme, SWEP and call duty allowances.

NAAT demanded the release of N50 billion to settle the outstanding claims of Earned Allowances for NAAT members to address the injustice meted out to the union.

Other demands are completion of the renegotiation of the FGN/NAAT 2009 Agreement, implementation of the consequential adjustment of the new national minimum wage, payment of the three and a half months of withheld salaries, payment of arrears of seven months of occupational hazard allowance and release of third -party deductions for the two months of withheld salaries that were paid.

“Payment of eleven (11) months’ arrears of responsibility allowance, release of an enabling circular for career progression to CONTISS 14 and 15 for academic technologist, payment of arrears of the N30,000 minimum wage to omitted NAAT members (implemented in 2019 and the recognition of NEC-approved branch executives by the management of Nnamdi Azikiwe University (NAU) and University of Nigeria Nsukka respectively,” it stated.

On the proposed industrial actions, the statement explained that if the government failed to act swiftly, its branches would commence the first nationwide protest on August 6, the second nationwide protest on August 13 and a national protest in Abuja on August 20.

It added: “Further to this, all NAAT branches have been directed to commence the sensitisation and mobilisation of members in preparation for the actions scheduled for August 2025.

“However, NAAT remains committed to dialogue and constructive engagement with relevant stakeholders to resolve our grievances and to improve the welfare of our members.

“NAAT calls on the general public, traditional and religious leaders, members of the National Assembly and well-meaning Nigerians to intervene and prevail upon the Federal Government to do the needful to sustain the relative peace currently being enjoyed on our university campuses.”