Workers across state-owned tertiary institutions in Katsina have issued a two-week strike notice to the state government, escalating tensions over delayed salary adjustments, stalled staff placements, and concerns about access to higher education in one of Nigeria’s northwestern states.
The ultimatum, effective from Dec. 29, was announced by the Joint Consultative Forum (JCF), an umbrella body representing staff unions in colleges and polytechnics owned by the Katsina State government.
In a statement released on Wednesday, Muhammad Nasir-Gidado, the forum’s chairman, said the unions were compelled to act after months of what they describe as government inaction on critical workforce and student welfare issues.
What they said
Nasir-Gidado, who also leads the Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics at Hassan Usman Katsina Polytechnic, said employees have yet to receive a 35% and 25% salary increase previously proposed for academic and non-academic staff. The increments, he said, were approved in principle but have not progressed beyond verbal commitments.
“Delay in implementation has led to accrued arrears,” he said, noting that workers had expected revised salary payments as far back as September. Other institutions, he added, have submitted their documentation to the government and are still awaiting a response.
The forum also criticized what it described as inequities in the administration of the state’s contributory healthcare scheme, calling it “inadequate, unfair and exploitative.” Union members, Nasir-Gidado said, have complained of unprocessed benefits, deductions without corresponding coverage, and limited access to services that the program is purported to provide.
Alongside wage disputes and welfare concerns, the unions point to what they consider a growing crisis in access to education. Recent increases in student registration fees have triggered a decline in enrollment, particularly among students from low-income households. Administrators and faculty, according to the statement, have recorded cases of undergraduates withdrawing mid-program because they could no longer afford tuition.
“This deliberate effort has shrunk the enrolment of students,” Nasir-Gidado said, attributing the trend to rising costs that place tertiary education further out of reach for many residents. “Education is a social service rendered to citizens to improve their well-being,” he added, urging the government to intervene.
What you should know
The unions say they will spend the next two weeks monitoring the government’s response. If no agreement is reached within that period, leaders are expected to convene to consider further action, including the possibility of a full work stoppage.
The dispute arrives at a volatile moment for Nigeria’s education sector, which has been repeatedly disrupted in recent years by labor actions tied to wages, infrastructure deficits, and funding.
Nairametrics previously reported that the Katsina State Government had proposed N156.3 billion for the education sector in its 2026 budget, the highest allocation among all sectors. The figure, representing 17.14% of the total budget, was disclosed by the Commissioner for Budget and Economic Planning, Malik Anas, during a presentation of the fiscal breakdown in Katsina on Wednesday.
According to Anas, the funds are expected to cover both the Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education and the state’s higher education institutions. Governor Dikko Radda had earlier presented a total budget estimate of N897.8 billion for the 2026 fiscal year to the State House of Assembly.
The proposed allocation follows what the government describes as a sustained investment trend. Governor Radda recently stated that Katsina has invested N120 billion in the education sector since 2022, including the construction of more than 150 new schools to accommodate growing enrolment and upgrade infrastructure across the state.
