By Gabriel Ameh
The Federal Government and the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) have signed a renegotiated agreement aimed at strengthening Nigeria’s tertiary education system and ending decades of industrial unrest.
Presenting the agreement in Abuja on Wednesday, the Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, described it as a major milestone in restoring stability, trust and quality in public universities. He said the agreement reflects President Bola Tinubu’s commitment to accessible, high-quality education and uninterrupted academic calendars.
According to Alausa, the President took personal responsibility for resolving long-standing disputes that had plagued the university system for decades.
“For years, unresolved remuneration issues, welfare gaps and recurring industrial disputes disrupted academic calendars, weakened staff morale and threatened the future of our young people,” the minister said. “Under the leadership of President Bola Tinubu, we deliberately chose dialogue over discord, reform over delay, and resolution over rhetoric.”
He explained that a central feature of the agreement is the review of the remuneration package for academic staff in federal tertiary institutions, as approved by the National Salaries, Income and Wages Commission, with effect from January 1, 2026.
Under the new structure, the emoluments of university academic staff have been increased by 40 per cent to improve morale, enhance service delivery, boost global competitiveness and curb brain drain. The increase is captured through a consolidated academic tools allowance, which forms part of the salary structure and is exclusive to university academic staff.
Alausa said the allowance would cover journal publications, conference participation, internet access, learned society membership and book allowances, describing these as essential for effective teaching, research and global academic competitiveness.
He added that nine previously earned academic allowances have been streamlined, clearly structured and tied strictly to duties performed, in order to promote productivity, transparency, accountability and fairness.
The minister also announced the introduction of a new professorial credit allowance—the first of its kind approved by the Federal Government. According to him, the allowance applies strictly to full-time professors and academic readers in recognition of their extensive scholarly, administrative and research responsibilities.
Under the arrangement, professors will receive an additional ₦1.8 million per annum, equivalent to about ₦140,000 monthly, while academic readers will receive ₦840,000 per annum, or ₦70,000 monthly. He said the allowance is intended to support research coordination, academic documentation and administrative efficiency, enabling senior academics to focus more on teaching, mentorship, innovation and knowledge production.
Alausa disclosed that implementation of the agreement has already commenced, noting that the National Salaries, Income and Wages Commission issued a circular on December 30, 2025, directing the full implementation of the wages component with effect from January 1, 2026.
In his remarks, ASUU President, Prof. Chris Pinuwa, recalled that the 2009 agreement, which was due for renegotiation in 2012, suffered prolonged delays. He said the newly signed 2025 agreement was the product of a renegotiation process initiated in 2017 to revitalise Nigeria’s university system.
According to Pinuwa, several renegotiation committees were constituted between 2017 and 2022 under successive administrations, including those chaired by Wale Babalakin, Munzali Jibrin and Nimi Briggs, but none produced a collective bargaining agreement.
He said the current administration inaugurated a fresh renegotiation committee chaired by Alhaji Yayale Ahmed in October 2024, and an agreement was reached about 14 months later.
Pinuwa explained that the agreement addresses conditions of service, funding, university autonomy, academic freedom and broader systemic reforms aimed at reversing decay, curbing brain drain and repositioning universities for national development.
He commended Ahmed and members of the renegotiation team, the Minister of Education and President Tinubu for their commitment to concluding the process.
While welcoming the successful conclusion of the collective bargaining, the ASUU president noted that some critical issues remain unresolved, particularly what he described as persistent government interference in university autonomy.
“As we celebrate this successful collective bargaining between ASUU and the Federal Government, we must also acknowledge that there are still pending internal issues affecting the survival of the university system,” Pinuwa said.
“University autonomy is universally recognised as a cornerstone of a functional higher education system. In Nigeria, although autonomy is recognised in principle and partially entrenched in law, its practical implementation remains weak.”
