The Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) has decried the delay in the payment of February 2026 salaries to workers in federal universities across the country.

The union made this known in a statement signed by its president, Mohammad Ibrahim, on Thursday in Abuja.

Mr Ibrahim said the delay had caused hardship for its members and their families, worsening the financial pressure faced by many university workers.

“This unfortunate delay has created serious financial strain for our members and their families across federal universities.

“Staff who sustain the university system deserve timely remuneration for their services, especially during the Ramadan and Lenten fasting periods,” he said.

According to him, the situation is gradually eroding staff morale and affecting productivity within the nation’s university system.

Mr Ibrahim called on the relevant authorities, particularly the Government Integrated Financial Management Information System (GIFMIS) office under the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation, to urgently facilitate the payment of the outstanding salaries.

He said investigation by the union revealed inconsistencies in the government’s salary payment process for university workers in recent months.

According to him, the movement between the GIFMIS and Remita platforms has created uncertainty and delays in the payment system.

The president, however, called for the adoption of the Remita platform for the payment of university workers’ salaries, describing it as seamless and reliable.

He commended the efforts of the chairman of the federal government renegotiation committee, Yayale Ahmed, in facilitating dialogue.

He expressed concern over the slow pace of the ongoing renegotiation between the federal government and non-teaching university unions.

He also explained that recent comments suggesting that industrial harmony had been achieved in universities did not reflect the realities of the ongoing negotiations.

Mr Ibrahim urged the federal government to accelerate the renegotiation process and provide accurate information to the public on its status.

He, however, warned that failure to address the issues could compel the unions to explore lawful actions, including withdrawal of services and picketing of relevant government offices. 

(NAN)