The Federal Government and the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) have concluded a renegotiated agreement aimed at resetting industrial harmony and improving standards across Nigeria’s tertiary education sector.
Presenting the agreement in Abuja on Wednesday, the Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, said it underscored President Bola Tinubu’s resolve to ensure accessible, high-quality education and uninterrupted academic calendars.
According to the minister, the President personally intervened to resolve long-standing disputes that had unsettled the university system for decades.
“For many years, unresolved remuneration issues, welfare gaps and repeated industrial actions disrupted learning schedules, weakened staff morale and jeopardised the future of our students,” Alausa said.
He explained that under the Tinubu administration, dialogue was prioritised over confrontation, leading to meaningful reforms rather than prolonged delays.
A major component of the agreement is the review of remuneration for academic staff in federal tertiary institutions, approved by the National Salaries, Income and Wages Commission and scheduled to take effect from January 1, 2026.
Alausa disclosed that salaries of university academic staff have been increased by 40 per cent to improve morale, enhance service delivery, strengthen global competitiveness and curb brain drain.
He explained that the adjustment is reflected in a consolidated academic tools allowance, specifically designed for university lecturers and incorporated into the salary structure.
The allowance, he said, would cover academic essentials such as journal publications, conference attendance, internet access, learned society memberships and book purchases, all of which are critical to effective teaching and research.
The minister also announced that nine previously earned academic allowances had been streamlined, clearly defined and tied strictly to duties performed to promote transparency, accountability and productivity.
In addition, a new professorial credit allowance was introduced, described as the first of its kind approved by the Federal Government.
Under the new structure, full professors will receive N1.8 million annually—about N140,000 monthly—while academic readers will earn N840,000 per year, amounting to N70,000 monthly.
Alausa said the allowance is intended to support research coordination, academic documentation, correspondence and administrative responsibilities, allowing senior academics to focus more on teaching, mentorship, innovation and knowledge creation.
He added that implementation of the agreement has already commenced, with a circular issued by the National Salaries, Income and Wages Commission to ensure the wage components take effect from January 1, 2026.
Also speaking, ASUU President, Prof. Chris Pinuwa, recalled that the 2009 agreement, which was due for renegotiation in 2012, suffered prolonged delays.
He explained that the 2025 agreement emerged from a renegotiation process initiated in 2017, after several unsuccessful attempts by committees set up between 2017 and 2022.
Pinuwa noted that progress was achieved after the current administration inaugurated a fresh renegotiation committee chaired by Alhaji Yayale Ahmed in October 2024, culminating in an agreement about 14 months later.
He said the pact addresses conditions of service, funding, university autonomy, academic freedom and broader reforms aimed at reversing systemic decay and repositioning universities for national development.
While commending President Tinubu, the education minister and members of the renegotiation committee for their commitment, Pinuwa cautioned that some challenges remain.
He identified persistent government interference in university autonomy as a major concern, stressing that autonomy remains a globally recognised pillar of a functional higher education system but is still weakly implemented in Nigeria.