Mirian Gom 
LAGOS, Nigeria — Teaching and non-teaching staff of Lagos State-owned universities have begun an indefinite strike over the state government’s alleged failure to implement agreements and address outstanding demands.
The Joint Action Committee (JAC) of Workers of Lagos State-owned Universities announced the strike on Friday during a press briefing in Lagos.
The affected institutions are Lagos State University (LASU), Lagos State University of Education (LASUED), Lagos State University of Science and Technology (LASUSTECH) and Lagos State University College of Medicine (LASUCOM).
The unions involved are the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU), National Association of Academic Technologists (NAAT) and Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Allied Institutions (NASU).
Speaking on behalf of the unions, JAC Chairman Prof. Ibraheem Bakare said workers had exhausted administrative channels and dialogue before declaring the strike. “We have demonstrated unprecedented patience, maturity, and commitment to peaceful dialogue,” Bakare said. “However, our patience has been pushed to the absolute limit. We have exhausted every possible administrative channel to avert this crisis.”
Lagos University Workers List Strike Demands
The unions are demanding the full implementation of the 2025 Federal Government-union agreement across the four institutions.
They are also seeking a one-off payment of nine months’ accumulated arrears, covering January to September 2026. Other demands include implementing the agreed non-taxable status of negotiated allowances and paying a 15 per cent “Lagos Factor” allowance.
The workers are further demanding the implementation of commitments attributed to Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu. These include a 20 per cent salary increase announced in 2023 and the provision of five Marcopolo buses for staff and student transportation.
Bakare described the demands as legitimate and within the state government’s financial capacity. “We remain open to immediate executive action before the midnight deadline tonight,” he said.
However, he warned that workers would not resume duties until the government addressed their demands.
Unions Warn of Disruption to University Activities
The unions expressed concern that some other states had begun implementing similar agreements, while accusing the Lagos government of treating university workers differently.
They said only immediate intervention by the governor could prevent a prolonged disruption of academic and administrative activities across the four institutions.
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Oluwatobi Adu 
Hope Ajayi 
