Frank Musa
The National Association of Academic Technologists (NAAT) has announced plans to begin a nationwide protest on August 6, 2025, in response to the prolonged non-payment of three and half months’ withheld salaries and other unresolved issues affecting the welfare of their staff in Nigerian varsities.
The decision to protest was made public on Monday, July 14, 2025, following the Association's 59th National Executive Council (NEC) meeting.
According to the union’s leadership, the protest would be followed by a nationwide strike if the Federal Government fails to address the pending demands.
This intent was made public by the NAAT's National President, Ibeji Nwokoma while addressing newsmen after the NEC meeting held at Yobe State University, Damaturu.
He expressed disappointment over what he described as the government’s lukewarm attitude towards resolving critical issues raised by the union.
The association is also agitating over the government’s refusal to implement the consequential adjustment of the new National Minimum Wage, among several other outstanding matters.
It could be recalled that earlier in June, NAAT issued a 21-day ultimatum to the Federal Government (FG), demanding urgent action on a number of concerns pertaining to members’ welfare and the academic working environment. Unfortunately, the ultimatum expired on July 4 without any response or meaningful engagement from the government.
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He said the ongoing neglect was affecting not just union members but the academia in its entirety and the country at large.
Nwokoma also criticized the distribution of the recently disbursed #50 billion Earned Allowances (EA) and Earned Academic Allowances (EAA), lamenting that the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) was allegedly allocated 80% of the total amount while NAAT, alongside the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) and the Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions (NASU) were left to share the remaining 20%.
He therefore, on behalf of the NEC, strongly condemned the allocation formula, which he described as "unjust", hence unacceptable.
The union further highlighted other longstanding issues including the need to mainstream specific allowances, such as Field Trip allowances, Student/Technologist staff ratio supplementation, the Students’ Work Experience Programme (SWEP), and Call Duty allowances, into the members' salaries.
NAAT also demanded the completion of the renegotiation of the 2009 FGN/NAAT Agreement, as well as the payment of seven months’ arrears of occupational hazard allowances.
In addition, the Union also seeks the release of third-party deductions from the previously withheld salaries that were later paid.
If no concrete action is taken by the government, Nwokoma stated that NAAT branches across the country would embark on a first phase of protest on August 6, followed by a second nationwide demonstration on August 13, and a final protest rally in Abuja on August 20.
The President disclosed that members had already begun sensitization and mobilization activities in preparation for the planned actions, while stating that in spite of the planned protests, the Union reaffirmed its commitment to peaceful dialogue and constructive engagement.
The FG was thus enjoined by the NAAT leadership to seize the opportunity towards averting a full-blown industrial crisis in the country’s varsities.
Nwokoma equally called on the general public, traditional rulers, religious leaders, members of the National Assembly, and all well-meaning stakeholders to intervene and prevail on the FG to resolve the outlined lingering issues, with the aim of maintaining the fragile peace currently being enjoyed in the Nigeria's academia.
