By Emmanuella Opara | November 13th 2026
KEY POINTS
- Kaduna State University says academic activities will continue despite industrial action by some affiliate unions.
- The dispute centres on the implementation of the 2026 Consolidated Non-Teaching Tools Allowance and other staff welfare concerns.
- SSANU, NASU and NAAT have challenged the government’s decision to implement the newly negotiated Federal Government agreement for academic staff alone.
- The National Industrial Court has fixed November 18 for the hearing of a case involving the dispute.
MAIN STORY
Kaduna State University has directed students to continue attending lectures despite an ongoing industrial dispute involving some affiliate unions, insisting that the action has not resulted in the closure of the institution.
The university’s management said teaching and other academic activities would proceed as scheduled, urging students to remain focused on their studies while efforts to resolve the disagreement continue.
Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Abdullahi Musa, gave the assurance in a statement issued on Friday, acknowledging concerns among students over possible disruptions to the academic calendar.
“Academic activities are continuing, and students are encouraged to attend lectures and participate in all scheduled academic engagements,” Musa said.
He said the management was taking steps to sustain academic programmes and essential university operations, while appealing to students to remain calm.
The vice-chancellor acknowledged the grievances of the affiliate unions, particularly their concerns over the implementation of the 2026 Consolidated Non-Teaching Tools Allowance.
He urged the unions to embrace dialogue and allow the Kaduna State Government, through the university management and governing council, to address outstanding issues.
Musa also commended Governor Uba Sani, who is the visitor to the university, for interventions aimed at improving the welfare and working conditions of both academic and non-teaching staff.
He reaffirmed the management’s commitment to maintaining industrial harmony and ensuring that the university’s teaching, research and community service responsibilities were not affected by the dispute.
The disagreement involves the Joint Action Committee of the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU), the Non-Academic Staff Union (NASU) and the National Association of Academic Technologists (NAAT).
The unions had opposed the Kaduna State Government’s decision to implement the newly negotiated Federal Government agreement for academic staff alone, arguing that non-teaching employees should also benefit from the agreement.
The dispute has also been the subject of legal proceedings following an earlier court order restraining the unions from embarking on industrial action pending the determination of a suit filed by the university.
The National Industrial Court has fixed November 18 for the hearing of the case.
THE ISSUES
The dispute reflects continuing disagreements over the treatment of non-teaching university workers in the implementation of negotiated staff welfare agreements.
At the centre of the disagreement is the unions’ position that non-teaching employees should not be excluded from benefits negotiated for university workers.
While the university management has maintained that academic activities must continue, the industrial dispute presents a challenge to efforts to maintain normal operations and industrial harmony.
The court proceedings could also influence how the disagreement is resolved, particularly given the earlier order restraining the unions from taking industrial action.
WHAT’S BEING SAID
“Academic activities are continuing, and students are encouraged to attend lectures and participate in all scheduled academic engagements.”
Prof. Abdullahi Musa, Vice-Chancellor, Kaduna State University.
WHAT’S NEXT
The National Industrial Court is expected to hear the case on November 18. In the meantime, the university management says lectures and other academic activities will continue while it seeks a resolution with the unions.
BOTTOM LINE
Kaduna State University is maintaining its academic calendar despite the industrial dispute, but the disagreement over allowances and the treatment of non-teaching staff remains unresolved ahead of the November 18 court hearing.
