The disagreement on 80:20 sharing formula ratio prescribed for the N50 billion outstanding allowances of university staffers is unfortunate, given its potential to disrupt university administration in the country; Stakeholders fear, for good reason, that the semblance of normalcy being experienced in the public ivory towers may be unduly shaken by a factor intended to actually cement the peace. In view of the huge collateral damages usually incurred during any disruption of the university calendar, it is imperative that government and all the three or more unions involve in the sharing disagreement sit down on a round table to iron out their differences. Nigerians who have borne the crises in the universities for long will not forgive the unions if they allow sharing formula of government grant to cause another disruption of academic and other programmes.

Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) and the Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions (NASU) have rejected the disbursement formula for the federal government’s N50 billion intervention for staff unions.
In a joint statement in Abuja, the unions described the allocation model as “grossly unfair, provocative, and unacceptable”.

In April 2025, the federal government had ordered the release of N50 billion to federal university academic and non-academic staff unions to settle all pending allowances.

In a statement by Peters Adeyemi, NASU general secretary, and Mohammed Ibrahim, SSANU national president, NASU and SSANU said they are angered by the decision to allocate 80 per cent of the funds to the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU).

The unions said the remaining 20 per cent were made to be shared among SSANU, NASU, and the National Association of Academic Technologists (NAAT). A joint action committee of both unions warned that the distribution could deepen existing divisions between teaching and non-teaching staff in federal universities and potentially trigger industrial unrest.

“This is not about union rivalry but about fairness and recognition. The government must acknowledge the pivotal role of non-teaching staff in the stability and progress of Nigerian universities,” the statement reads in part. The unions argued that non-teaching staff are integral to the functionality, administration, research, and development of the university system and should not be treated as second-class citizens. They called on the Federal Government to urgently review and reverse the disbursement formula, saying failure to do so could lead to widespread dissatisfaction and a breakdown in industrial harmony.

The Federal Government did not state how it arrived at the 80:20 sharing formula in favour of the teaching staff. While there is always a possibility that he formula is faulty, government cannot be found wanting of seeking to solve long-standing problems in the universities, particularly problems to do with failure by government to honour agreements it endorsed willingly. Such failures, over decades, have largely provoked strike actions that have all but grounded universities, leading to prolonged state of decadence in that sector.

For years, government has underfunded public universities, indulging in tokenism that could not meaningfully address the lingering and deep seated challenges in the universities. This situation has resulted in dilapidated infrastructure, inadequate hostel accommodation, poor library and laboratory facilities as well as outdated teaching aids in the universities and other educational institutions across the country. The ugly state of affairs has brought with it, untoward consequences including incessant strike actions by the university staff. It is also responsible for the so-called brain-drain which has seen many Nigerian intellectuals and professional migrating to other countries, especially in Europe, America, Middle and Far East. This is the more reason why the present crucial government intervention, though not expected to solve all the problems, should nevertheless not be allowed to aggravate them.

In managing the sharing problem at hand, there is need for openness among the three parties namely the federal government, the Academic Staff Union of Universities, and the non academic staff unions. It should be recognized that although teaching and research form the core of university education and curriculum, the core objectives can hardly be achieved without the support of the non-teaching unions. Besides, there ought to be relevant statistics attached to the allocation and subsequent disbursement, which should prevent antagonism by one union against another. In effect, therefore, the disparity in sharing should be accounted for, while government should carry along unions which aspirations cannot be met immediately

According to reports, the non-academic unions while rejecting the formula, had noted that the 2022 agreement stipulated an equal allocation between academic and non-academic staff. No doubt, disagreement over disbursement of allocation in the universities underscores broader issues of equity, trust and governance in Nigeria’s tertiary education sector.

Sometime in August 2022, NASU and SSANU suspended a prolonged strike after the federal government committed itself to releasing N50bn to settle allowance for the university staff. The agreement also addressed condition of service and the contentious Integrated Personnel and Payroll Information System (IPPIS). It is of course curious that an agreement could have stipulated equal disbursement between two unions with different problems and different membership strength. The important thing is that these are matters that can be resolved through dialogue, cooperation and understanding. What should be at the back of the unions is that government, for all its past failings, has approved the release of money to solve the universities’ intractable problems; and it is important for the unions to facilitate that solution rather than be a clog its wheel.