Alausa made the appeal on Tuesday, October 13, 2026, in Abuja during the unveiling of renegotiated agreements between the Federal Government and unions representing workers in universities and other tertiary institutions.

The minister called on government officials, institutional managers and union leaders to work together to ensure the agreements are implemented, stressing that continued engagement was necessary to address longstanding disputes in the education sector.

He also cautioned against misinformation and actions that could heighten tensions between workers and the government. According to him, stakeholders should assess the administration by its commitments and the progress made towards fulfilling them.

Alausa commended officials of the Federal Ministry of Education, heads of tertiary institutions and union representatives for their contributions to the negotiations, describing their cooperation as important to reaching an agreement.

Earlier, the Chairman of the Federal Government’s Negotiation Team, Yayale Ahmed, said the unveiling marked the beginning of another phase of engagement, with successful implementation now requiring commitment from both sides.

Ahmed urged union leaders to give the government the opportunity to complete the necessary administrative processes, warning that threats of indefinite strikes over outstanding payments could undermine the progress achieved during negotiations.

He acknowledged that the discussions had been difficult but said mutual respect, collective bargaining and concessions from both parties had helped move the process forward.

The former Head of the Civil Service of the Federation explained that negotiations required both sides to understand each other’s concerns and make compromises where necessary. He commended union leaders for defending their members’ interests while also considering the government’s position.

Ahmed, however, disclosed that discrepancies had been identified in some provisions of the agreements. He said the Minister of Education and the relevant wages commission had indicated their willingness to review the issues to prevent affected unions from feeling disadvantaged.

He appealed for patience as the outstanding matters were addressed, emphasising that the government needed to follow through on its implementation commitments.

The National President of the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU), Muhammed Ibrahim, welcomed the progress made, saying recent payments had raised hopes among university workers that some of their longstanding concerns were receiving attention.

Ibrahim praised Alausa for engaging union representatives and recalled that the minister had intervened in efforts to resolve some outstanding salary payments.

Despite the progress, the SSANU president urged the Ministry of Education to expedite the release of documents and circulars required to formalise agreements involving other unions.

He said delays in processing the outstanding documentation had created uncertainty and tension among affected workers, calling on the government to address the issue without further delay.

Ibrahim also reaffirmed the unions’ willingness to contribute to national development, noting that improved staff welfare and better working conditions were important to the stability of tertiary institutions.

The renegotiated agreements form part of broader efforts to resolve longstanding disputes over staff welfare, allowances, salaries and conditions of service across Nigeria’s tertiary education system.

The agreements involve unions representing academic and non-academic staff in universities, polytechnics and colleges of education. However, the unveiling does not remove the need to address outstanding administrative issues and ensure that agreed provisions are implemented.

Whether the latest negotiations lead to lasting industrial harmony will depend largely on the government’s implementation of the agreements and continued engagement with the unions.

Reporting by TalkNaijaMedia