Academic and non-academic staff of public tertiary institutions in Nasarawa State have commenced an indefinite strike over the state government’s failure to implement the new national minimum wage and its consequential salary adjustments.
The action was announced on Monday by the Joint Unions of Nasarawa State Tertiary Institutions (JUNSTI). Its chairman, Samson Gbande, said the decision followed the government’s “inability to comply with the mutually agreed full implementation of the New National Minimum Wage,” despite repeated assurances.
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Speaking to journalists in Lafia after a meeting of leaders of the unions, Mr Gbande said the strike affects Isa Mustapha Agwai Polytechnic, Lafia, the College of Agriculture, Science and Technology, Lafia, and the College of Education, Akwanga.
He said the unions had engaged the state government several times without tangible results. According to him, meetings were held at the office of the deputy governor on 6 August, 23 October, 3 December and 15 December 2025, during which government officials assured the unions that the new wage structure would take effect from November 2025.
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“Regrettably, despite the union’s patience for over one year, these assurances have not translated into action,” Mr Gbande said. “The government has failed to honour agreements it freely entered into with us.”
The JUNSTI chairman said the strike earlier announced by the union on the eve of Christmas was reaffirmed at the latest meeting and would remain in force until the government meets the union’s demands.
He urged members to remain calm and united, assuring them that the leadership would pursue the matter to a logical conclusion. “No stone will be left unturned until the legitimate demands of our members are met,” he said.
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The latest strike follows a similar industrial action embarked upon by the same unions earlier in the year. On 9 February 2025, JUNSTI commenced a two-week warning strike over the non-implementation of the ₦30,000 minimum wage consequential adjustment, delayed promotions and the ₦70,500 minimum wage.
In a statement issued at the time and signed by Mr Gbande and the union’s secretary, Paul Olotu, the unions said the warning strike was resolved at an emergency meeting held on 4 February 2025 after the government failed to respond to an ultimatum dated 15 January.
“We have approached the Nasarawa State Government severally over what belonged to us but to no avail,” Mr Gbande said during that earlier action. “So the only option left is strike.”
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The unions involved include the Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics, Academic Staff Union of Colleges of Agriculture and Allied Institutions, Colleges of Education Academic Staff Union, Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Polytechnics, Senior Staff Union in Colleges of Education and the Non-Academic Staff Union.
JUNSTI said the continued delay in implementing agreed salary structures undermines staff morale, productivity and stability within the state’s tertiary education system. The union also thanked its members for their cooperation and patience, saying their sacrifice would not be in vain.
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