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From Adanna Nnamani, Abuja
The National Association of Academic Technologists (NAAT) has threatened to embark on a series of nationwide protests beginning in August over the Federal Government’s failure to address key welfare issues, including the payment of three and a half months of withheld salaries and the non-implementation of the consequential adjustment of the national minimum wage.
The union had earlier issued a 21-day ultimatum to the government in June, demanding urgent action on several unresolved matters affecting the welfare of its members and the general academic environment. The ultimatum expired on July 4 without any meaningful response from the authorities.
In response, NAAT convened its 59th National Executive Council (NEC) meeting at Yobe State University, Damaturu, where members expressed strong displeasure at what they described as the government’s lukewarm attitude toward their demands. The NEC deliberated extensively on issues affecting its members, university operations, and the broader national education sector.
NAAT President, Ibeji Nwokoma, in a statement issued after the meeting, reaffirmed the union’s readiness to proceed with planned industrial actions starting August 6, should the government continue to ignore their concerns. However, he also emphasised that the union remains open to dialogue and constructive engagement with the relevant authorities in the hope of resolving the impasse before the protest deadline.
Among the contentious issues provoking the association to commence the proposed nationwide protests according to Comrade Ibeji 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 said: “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 statement said NEC also reviewed the declaration of a trade dispute against the Federal Ministry of Education, the National Universities Commission, NUC, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, NAU, Awka 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.
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Their grievances also include the release of ₦50 billion to settle the outstanding claims of Earned Allowances for NAAT members to address the injustice meted on the Union.
According to the statement: “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 (7) 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 & 15 for academic technologist, payment of arrears of the ₦30,000 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), Awka and University of Nigeria Nsukka respectively.”
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.
“Further to this, all NAAT branches have been directed to commence the sensitization and mobilization 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
“Finally, 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 of Nigeria (FGN) to do the needful in order to sustain the relative peace currently being enjoyed on our university campuses.”
The memo to all branch chairmen of NAAT for commencement of sensitization and mobilization for the impending industrial action.
