The Chairman of the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU), Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida University, Lapai Branch, Comrade Jibrin Matane AbdulAzeez, has clarified the status of the university’s outstanding EAA/EA arrears, the ongoing ASUU strike and discussions with the Niger State Government.
Matane, in a statement issued on Thursday, September 24, 2026, said ₦500 million of the ₦1.3 billion outstanding EAA/EA arrears had been paid, leaving a balance of ₦800 million.
He said the arrears, covering Earned Academic Allowance for academic staff and Earned Allowance for non-teaching staff, arose from a 2009 agreement between the Federal Government and university unions and accumulated over successive administrations.
According to him, an initial arrangement provided for monthly payments of ₦100 million over 13 months. Following a September 8 meeting involving the Niger State Government, NLC, University Management and representatives of ASUU, SSANU, NASU and NATT, the monthly payment was increased to ₦200 million.
Matane said the September payment was subsequently made, bringing the total paid to ₦500 million.
He also addressed the Consolidated Non-Teaching Staff Allowance (CONTTA) and Consolidated Academic Tools Allowance (CATA), saying their implementation at IBBU Lapai carries an estimated financial implication of about ₦200 million.
On the ASUU strike, Matane said the industrial action was linked to the union’s concerns at the local level but was being implemented in accordance with a national directive. He said other unions had continued to pursue dialogue within their respective national structures.
Matane said University Management and representatives of the four unions visited the Niger State Government House on September 22 primarily to commiserate with the state over the deaths of 37 miners in Minna.
He said the university’s industrial concerns were also discussed during the meeting, with the Governor reaffirming the revised EAA/EA payment arrangement and assuring stakeholders of another ₦200 million payment in October.
According to Matane, the Governor also indicated that, subject to the availability of funds, the government could consider paying about ₦400 million, representing half of the outstanding balance, as a lump sum.
The SSANU chairman called for continued dialogue and responsible reporting of the dispute, urging students, parents and the public to rely on verified information as negotiations continue.
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Education