Reported by Weng Patrick Atokor l Journalist at Weng Global
Kaduna State University (KASU) management has assured students that academic activities will continue despite an industrial action involving non-teaching staff unions, urging students to remain on campus and attend their scheduled lectures.
The university said the ongoing labour dispute does not amount to a closure of the institution, maintaining that teaching, learning and other essential academic activities will continue.
The assurance comes amid a seven-day warning strike involving non-teaching staff unions at the university, raising concerns about the potential impact of the industrial action on academic operations and preparations for forthcoming examinations.
In a statement made available to journalists in Kaduna on Friday, November 13, 2026, the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Abdullahi Ibrahim Musa, said the university remained committed to sustaining its academic programmes despite the labour dispute.
Management appealed to students to remain calm, focused and committed to their studies, assuring the university community that necessary measures were being taken to maintain academic activities.
KASU Management Says University Has Not Closed
The university management stressed that the industrial action by affiliate non-teaching unions should not be interpreted as a shutdown of the institution.
According to the management, academic activities are continuing, and students are expected to participate in lectures and other scheduled academic engagements.
The assurance is intended to address concerns surrounding the industrial dispute and prevent uncertainty among students, parents and guardians.
Management also expressed appreciation to Kaduna State Governor and Visitor to the university, Senator Uba Sani, for his interventions towards improving the welfare and working conditions of academic and non-teaching staff.
It said the state government’s involvement remained important in addressing outstanding issues affecting workers and maintaining stability within the university system.
Non-Teaching Staff Unions Begin Seven-Day Warning Strike
The industrial dispute involves three non-teaching staff unions operating at Kaduna State University.
They are the Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions (NASU), the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) and the National Association of Academic Technologists (NAAT).
The unions, operating under a Joint Action Committee (JAC), reportedly commenced a seven-day warning strike at midnight on Tuesday, November 10, 2026.
Their grievances include the non-implementation of the 2026 Federal Government agreements covering non-teaching university staff, unpaid arrears, a 25 per cent salary increase and adjustments relating to the national minimum wage.
The dispute centres on workers’ demands for the implementation of agreed employment and welfare provisions.
The industrial action has created a distinction between the responsibilities of academic staff and those of the non-teaching employees participating in the strike.
While the affected unions are withdrawing their services as part of the warning action, academic staff represented by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Kaduna State University chapter, have maintained that they are not participating in the strike.
ASUU-KASU Directs Lecturers to Continue Teaching
The KASU chapter of ASUU has separately assured students that academic activities should continue without interruption.
In a statement issued on Thursday, November 12, 2026, the union’s Chairman, Abubakar Abdullahi, and Secretary, Silas Amos Bakut, said the clarification was necessary to address reports suggesting that the university had suspended academic activities.
The union directed its members to continue carrying out their academic responsibilities, including teaching, research, project supervision, examination preparation and invigilation.
It also instructed lecturers to remain at their respective duty posts and maintain access to their offices, lecture halls, laboratories and other university facilities required to perform their duties.
ASUU-KASU warned against deliberate attempts to obstruct lecturers from carrying out their responsibilities.
The union also called on its members to document and report incidents of harassment, intimidation or obstruction encountered while performing their duties.
Students were similarly encouraged to report harassment, intimidation and misconduct to the appropriate university authorities.
The union urged parents and guardians to ensure that their children and wards remained on campus and adequately prepared for forthcoming examinations.
Although ASUU-KASU expressed support for the legitimate demands of the striking affiliate unions, it maintained that industrial actions must respect the rights of other members of the university community.
Dispute Over Staff Welfare Remains Unresolved
One of the central issues identified by the university management is the implementation of the 2026 Consolidated Non-Teaching Tools Allowance (CONTTA).
Management acknowledged concerns raised by the affiliate unions over the allowance and urged them to embrace dialogue and constructive engagement.
It also asked the unions to give the Kaduna State Government, university management and governing council an opportunity to address outstanding matters.
The position reflects the continuing challenge facing public universities in Nigeria, where disagreements over salaries, allowances, arrears and employment conditions can affect the stability of academic institutions.
Non-teaching employees play important roles in university administration and operations, including technical support, laboratory services, records management and other essential institutional functions.
Consequently, even when lecturers remain available to teach, industrial action involving other categories of employees can create operational difficulties.
The extent to which the ongoing strike affects individual departments and university services will depend on the availability of essential non-teaching support.
Previous Court Order Adds Another Dimension to the Dispute
The industrial dispute also follows an earlier intervention by the National Industrial Court of Nigeria.
On November 5, 2026, the court reportedly issued an order restraining NASU, SSANU and NAAT at Kaduna State University from commencing or participating in industrial action pending the hearing and determination of a motion before it.
The case, marked NICN/ABJ/329/2026, was instituted by Kaduna State University, its Governing Council and the Vice-Chancellor against the unions and some of their officials.
According to a report by Channels Television, the court adjourned the hearing of the motion to November 18, 2026.
The reported commencement of the warning strike on November 10, despite the earlier court order, adds a legal dimension to the disagreement.
The precise status of the court proceedings and any subsequent directions will be important in determining the next steps in the dispute.
Why the Development Matters to Students
The continuation of academic activities is particularly important for students preparing for examinations and other academic assessments.
An extended disruption could affect lecture schedules, practical sessions, project supervision, access to university facilities and the overall academic calendar.
For students approaching examinations, uncertainty over whether lectures will continue can also affect preparation and attendance.
KASU management’s assurance is therefore intended to maintain confidence within the university community and prevent the labour dispute from unnecessarily disrupting students’ academic responsibilities.
However, the continuation of lectures will also depend on the practical availability of the facilities and support services required for effective teaching and learning.
Parents and guardians are expected to monitor official university communications rather than rely on unverified reports circulating on social media.
What Happens Next?
The immediate focus is on whether the university management and the affected unions can resolve their differences through negotiations before the warning strike ends.
The seven-day action is expected to place pressure on the university authorities and Kaduna State Government to address the workers’ outstanding demands.
The November 18 court proceedings will also be significant in determining the legal direction of the dispute.
For now, KASU management and ASUU-KASU have maintained that academic activities should continue, with students encouraged to attend lectures and prepare for their examinations.
The university’s ability to sustain that assurance will depend not only on the availability of academic staff but also on efforts to resolve the concerns raised by non-teaching employees.
The situation highlights the importance of balancing workers’ welfare, institutional stability and students’ right to uninterrupted education.
For Kaduna State University, the immediate priority remains maintaining academic operations while seeking a resolution that addresses the concerns of affected staff.
Weng Global – Stories beyond borders
Sources
- Radio Nigeria Kaduna – KASU Remains Open for Academic Activities, November 13, 2026.
- TheCable – ASUU: Academic Activities Ongoing at Kaduna State Varsity Despite NASU Strike, November 13, 2026.
- Premium Times – KASU-ASUU Assures Students of Uninterrupted Academic Activities Amid Non-Teaching Staff Strike, November 12, 2026.
- Channels Television – Court Restrains Three KASU Unions From Embarking on Strike, November 7, 2026.
