President Bola Tinubu’s administration has brokered a new deal with the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), highlighting the government’s commitment to ending prolonged disputes, ensuring uninterrupted academic calendars, and improving the quality of Nigeria’s universities.
The agreement was unveiled on Wednesday in Abuja by Minister of Education, Tunji Alausa.
Alausa described the deal as a milestone in addressing decades of unresolved pay disputes, welfare gaps, and recurring strikes that disrupted academic schedules and weakened staff morale.
A major provision is a 40 per cent salary increase for academic staff in federal universities, effective January 1, 2026, implemented through a consolidated academic tools allowance covering research, conferences, internet access, books, and learned society memberships. Nine previous allowances have also been restructured for transparency and fairness.
A new professorial credit allowance was introduced for full-time professors and academic readers, with professors receiving N1.8 million annually and academic readers N840,000, aimed at supporting research, mentorship, and administrative efficiency. Implementation has begun, with the National Salaries, Income and Wages Commission issuing a circular on December 30, 2025.
ASUU President, Chris Pinuwa noted that the agreement was the result of a renegotiation process that began in 2017, with previous committees under successive administrations failing to reach a deal. The current committee, led by Yayale Ahmed, finalised the agreement after 14 months of negotiations.
The 2025 agreement covers conditions of service, funding, university autonomy, and academic freedom, alongside reforms to curb brain drain and reposition Nigerian universities. Prof. Pinuwa said, “University autonomy is essential for a functional higher education system. In Nigeria, it exists in principle but remains weak in practice”.
While praising the process, he lamented that government interference in university autonomy remains a challenge.
About the Author
