Academic and administrative activities have been disrupted at Lagos State University (LASU) after staff unions began enforcing an indefinite strike over the non-implementation of agreements reached with the Lagos State Government.
The strike, declared by the Joint Action Committee (JAC) of staff unions in Lagos State-owned universities, affects LASU, Lagos State University College of Medicine (LASUCOM), Lagos State University of Science and Technology (LASUSTECH) and Lagos State University of Education (LASUED).
At LASU on Monday, non-teaching staff members reportedly locked the university’s gates and the Senate building, preventing normal access to the campus.
Workers enforcing the action were also seen moving around the university to ensure compliance with the directive.
A LASU staff member said the shutdown had effectively halted activities across the campus.
“It was what can be likened to 100 per cent compliance with the declared strike by the Joint Action Committee, comprising all the Lagos State-owned universities in the state,” the staff member said.
However, the level of compliance was not uniform across all affected institutions.
At LASUED, the gates were reportedly open and some workers were present at their duty posts. One non-teaching staff member said he reported for work because he was concerned about possible consequences for workers who participated in the strike.
The industrial action followed the expiration of a seven-day ultimatum issued by the JAC to the Lagos State Government over the implementation of the 2026 Federal Government/Staff Unions Agreements.
The committee comprises the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU), Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions (NASU) and National Association of Academic Technologists (NAAT).
JAC Chairman, Prof. Ibrahim Bakare, said the unions had exhausted negotiations and other administrative channels before resorting to industrial action.
At the centre of the dispute is an agreement signed on August 31, 2026, following negotiations between the unions and the state government.
According to Bakare, a technical committee had reached a consensus on August 18 covering new allowance structures for academic and non-teaching staff.
The agreement, as presented by the unions, provided for a 40 per cent Consolidated Academic Tools Allowance and 10 per cent Earned Academic Allowance for ASUU members.
For NASU and SSANU members, the proposed package included a 35 per cent Consolidated Tertiary Institutions Non-Teaching Staff Allowance and 35 per cent hazard allowance.
The unions said the agreement also provided for implementation with the August or September 2026 salary and payment of arrears dating back to January 1.
Bakare alleged that the process encountered a setback when government representatives returned to previously rejected allowance figures shortly before a planned signing on August 24.
He said an appeal to Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu eventually led to the August 31 agreement.
However, the unions said the agreed allowances were not reflected in September salaries and that the outstanding payments were not made.
According to Bakare, the arrears have consequently increased from the eight months initially contemplated in the August agreement to nine months, covering January to September 2026.
“We have demonstrated unprecedented patience, maturity and commitment to peaceful dialogue. However, our patience has been pushed to the absolute limit,” Bakare said.
The unions are demanding immediate implementation of the signed agreement and a one-off payment of the nine months’ arrears.
They are also seeking compliance with the agreed non-taxable status of the allowances and implementation of a proposed 15 per cent “Lagos Factor” allowance, which they said was intended to reflect the high cost of living in the state.
The JAC further wants the government to fulfil other outstanding commitments, including a 20 per cent salary increase it said was promised during the 2023 election campaign and the release of five Marcopolo buses for university transportation.
The unions said failure to resolve the dispute could further disrupt academic calendars and administrative services across the state-owned universities.
They appealed to parents, students, traditional rulers and other stakeholders to hold the state government accountable for the consequences of the industrial action.
The Lagos State Government had not publicly responded to the latest strike action in the material available for this report.
The shutdown comes at a critical point in the academic calendar, with the extent and duration of the disruption now dependent on whether the unions and the state government can reach a fresh agreement on the outstanding issues.
