ASURI launches open-ended work stoppage, stages protest outside NIMR amid pension disagreement

Operations at the Nigerian Institute of Medical Research are on the verge of disruption due to the declaration of an immediate and indefinite strike by the Institute's branch of the Academic Staff Union of Research Institutions over the alleged "unlawful" retirement of senior research directors.

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This move is a direct response to the Institute's decision to issue retirement letters to Research/Academic Cadre Directors based on the eight-year tenure policy, as stated in a notice to the Director General of NIMR signed by the Secretary-General of ASURI, Professor Theophilus Ndubuaku.

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The notice expresses profound disappointment over the decision, which was made despite a formal advisory dated 3rd March 2026, and is compounded by a directive to vacate official quarters, effectively throwing the affected scientists and their families onto the streets.

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According to the notice, this action constitutes a direct betrayal of the cooperative posture ASURI has maintained to ensure industrial harmony at the Institute, and is a result of the Director General allowing administrative matters concerning academic staff to be dictated by the Director of Administration.

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The notice criticizes the Director General, a former Vice-Chancellor, for not following the university environment's statutory framework, where such matters are overseen by an Academic Professor as Deputy Vice-Chancellor to prevent malice and bitterness towards academic staff.

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The Internal Management Committee, which should be populated by academic directors, has been allowed to remain inactive, permitting a non-academic officer to misadvise the Director General and subvert the statutory protections governing the Research/Academic Cadre.

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The attempt to enforce a policy that has been addressed and resolved through ministerial intervention is seen as an industrial provocation, and ASURI will not stand by while the career advancement and livelihoods of its members are illegally terminated in breach of the 65-year retirement age established by the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation.

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The responsibility for the breakdown of industrial harmony at NIMR rests solely with the administration for failing to seek clarification from the OHCSF before taking action, according to the notice.

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In response to the strike, NIMR's Media Consultant, Sam Eferaro, stated that the Institute is simply implementing the Federal Government policy as directed by the Head of the Civil Service and the Ministry of Health.

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Management has advised the union to direct its concerns to the appropriate quarter, in this case, the Head of Civil Service, regarding the 8-year term policy.