Lagos Varsity Union Strike: Sanwo-Olu Approves New Allowances, Urges Unions to Suspend Strike

There is a major development concerning the ongoing industrial action in Lagos State-owned universities, following an approval by the Lagos State Government on the implementation of agreements reached with university staff unions.

In a letter dated October 7, 2026, from the Lagos State Ministry of Tertiary Education, the government conveyed the approval of the Governor of Lagos State, Mr. Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu, concerning demands presented by the leadership of the unions during recent engagements with the state government.

The development comes amid an ongoing dispute involving staff unions across Lagos State-owned tertiary institutions over the implementation of agreed allowances and payment of arrears.

Recent reports had indicated that the Joint Action Committee (JAC), comprising ASUU, SSANU, NASU and NAAT, declared an immediate and indefinite strike across Lagos State-owned universities after the expiration of a final ultimatum issued to the state government.

Lagos Government Approves 40% CATA and Other Allowances

According to the letter signed by the Honourable Commissioner for Tertiary Education, Mr. Tolani Sule, the state government has approved the domestication and implementation of the relevant agreements.

The approval includes the payment of 40% Consolidated Academic Tools Allowance (CATA) and 10% Earned Academic Allowance (EAA) for academic staff.

The letter also states that the monthly allowances for Readers and Professors will be adopted at ₦70,000 and ₦145,000, respectively.

For non-academic staff, the government approved 35% revised allowances across Lagos State-owned tertiary institutions.

The approved arrangements are stated to take effect from January 2026, with the payment of outstanding arrears to be made in two tranches, alongside the October and November 2026 salaries.

Allowances to Be Tax-Free

Another major aspect of the approval is the treatment of the applicable union allowances.

The Lagos State Government stated that all allowances covered by the agreement are to be tax-free.

This is significant because the taxation of the approved allowances was among the issues discussed during negotiations between the government and the university staff unions.

The unions had previously demanded implementation of the applicable federal agreements, payment of outstanding arrears and compliance with the agreed non-taxable status of the allowances. Reports on the negotiations indicated that the parties had earlier reached consensus on several of these issues.

Government Directs Immediate Implementation

The Ministry of Tertiary Education also stated that relevant government agencies have been directed to commence the immediate implementation process of the approval in line with existing financial regulations.

This directive is expected to pave the way for the processing and payment of the approved allowances and arrears.

The development could therefore bring relief to staff members affected by the prolonged disagreement over the implementation of the agreements.

Lagos Government Calls for Suspension of Strike

Following the approval, the Lagos State Government appealed to the leadership of the unions to direct their members to discontinue the ongoing strike and return to work with immediate effect.

The appeal is contained in the seventh paragraph of the official letter, where the government requested the union leadership to order members to withdraw from the industrial action and resume their duties.

If the unions accept the government’s latest approval and directive, academic and administrative activities across affected institutions could begin to return to normal.

Institutions Affected by the Strike

The industrial action has affected several Lagos State-owned tertiary institutions, including:

• Lagos State University (LASU)
• Lagos State University College of Medicine (LASUCOM)
• Lagos State University of Science and Technology (LASUSTECH)
• Lagos State University of Education (LASUED)

The Joint Action Committee had earlier announced the indefinite strike after stating that negotiations with the government had not resulted in the implementation of the agreements.

Reports also indicated that the strike disrupted academic and administrative activities at some of the affected institutions, including LASU.

What This Means for Students

For students of Lagos State-owned universities, the latest government approval could signal a possible end to the disruption if the unions formally suspend the strike.

Students are, however, advised not to resume based solely on social media messages or unofficial announcements. They should wait for an official communication from their respective institutions, student affairs authorities or recognised union leadership confirming the resumption date and arrangements.

This is particularly important because the government’s letter is an appeal to the union leadership to call off the strike, meaning that the next step will depend on the unions’ response and implementation process.

The Lagos State Government has approved the implementation of key agreements covering allowances for academic and non-academic staff across its state-owned tertiary institutions.

The approval includes 40% CATA, 10% EAA, ₦70,000 Readers/Associate Professorial allowance, ₦145,000 Professorial allowance and 35% revised allowances for non-academic staff, with the implementation backdated to January 2026 according to the government letter.

The government has also directed relevant agencies to commence implementation and appealed to the unions to call off the ongoing strike and return to work immediately.

The latest development represents a significant step toward resolving the dispute that has disrupted activities in Lagos State-owned universities. However, students should look out for official confirmation from their institutions and union leadership before making plans to return to campus.