The Nigerian Institute of Medical Research (NIMR) is facing mounting legal pressure over the implementation of the Federal Government’s eight-year tenure policy for directors, following a dispute with affected research officers and their union.
The controversy centres on the retirement and removal of three research directors and the interpretation of existing conditions of service governing employees of federal research institutions.
In an interview published on November 5, 2026, counsel to the Academic Staff Union of Research Institutions (ASURI), Anthony Itedjere, explained that the union disputes the application of the eight-year tenure policy to research and development personnel on the academic career track.
According to him, earlier circulars issued by the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation had excluded research institutions from the policy, maintaining that directors in such institutions should be treated like heads of departments in universities.
He argued that the subsequent government circular issued in February 2026 did not expressly withdraw the earlier exemption.
DISPUTE MOVES TO NATIONAL INDUSTRIAL COURT
ASURI reportedly declared a trade dispute and commenced the prescribed conciliation and mediation processes.
The union subsequently approached the National Industrial Court on August 26, 2026, challenging the disputed employment actions and seeking judicial intervention.
It also questioned notices threatening the affected officers with eviction from their official residences while the dispute remained unresolved.
According to its counsel, the matter came up on October 19 but could not proceed because the court did not sit. It was subsequently adjourned to December 7, 2026.
The union maintains that the affected officers should not be subjected to measures that could undermine the pending proceedings.
NIMR DEFENDS GOVERNMENT POLICY
NIMR has, however, disputed the characterisation of the disagreement as a management crisis.
In a statement published on November 5, the Institute maintained that the implementation of the eight-year tenure policy followed directives communicated by the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation on February 10, 2026, and the Federal Ministry of Health on February 16, 2026.
The Institute insisted that it was implementing government directives rather than acting on an independent decision by its management.
THE LEGAL QUESTION
The dispute raises important questions about the interpretation of public service circulars, employment conditions, statutory employment rights and the relationship between administrative directives and existing institutional regulations.
It also brings into focus the limits of an employer’s authority to alter employment arrangements while a dispute is undergoing statutory conciliation and judicial consideration.
With the parties maintaining different positions on the applicability of the policy, the National Industrial Court’s eventual determination could have implications beyond NIMR for employment administration across federal research institutions.
The proceedings remain pending, and the competing claims have yet to be judicially determined.
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