FG, ASUU Seal Landmark Deal to End University Strikes, Boost Lecturers’ Welfare

The Federal Government and the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) have reached a far-reaching agreement aimed at ending incessant strikes in Nigeria’s public universities, improving lecturers’ welfare and restoring stability to academic calendars nationwide.

Unveiling the pact in Abuja, the Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, described the agreement as a historic turning point for the country’s tertiary education system, saying it would rebuild trust and dignity after decades of industrial unrest.

“This is more than the unveiling of a document; it symbolises renewed trust, restored confidence and a decisive turning point in the history of Nigeria’s tertiary education system,” Alausa said.

He credited President Bola Tinubu for what he called unprecedented leadership in resolving a crisis that had long crippled universities and disrupted students’ futures.

“For the first time in our history, a sitting President confronted this challenge head-on and gave it the leadership attention it truly deserved,” the minister noted, stressing that the administration chose “dialogue over discord, reform over delay, and resolution over rhetoric.”

40% pay rise, new allowances

A major highlight of the agreement is a 40 per cent upward review of university lecturers’ emoluments, approved by the National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission (NSIWC) and scheduled to take effect from January 1, 2026.

Academic salaries will now comprise the Consolidated University Academic Staff Salary (CONUASS) and an enhanced Consolidated Academic Tools Allowance (CATA) to support research, conferences, internet access, professional memberships and book development.

Nine earned academic allowances were also restructured, clearly defined and linked to specific duties such as postgraduate supervision, fieldwork, clinical responsibilities, examinations and leadership roles.

In a first for Nigeria’s university system, the Federal Government approved a new professorial cadre allowance. Under the scheme, professors will earn N1.74 million annually (N140,000 monthly), while readers will receive N840,000 annually (N70,000 monthly).

According to Alausa, the allowance recognises the heavy academic, administrative and research responsibilities of senior academics and is designed to boost efficiency, mentorship and innovation.

“This intervention is not cosmetic,” he emphasised. “It is structural, practical and transformative.”

ASUU welcomes deal, raises autonomy concerns

ASUU President, Prof. Chris Piwuna, described the agreement as a major step towards rescuing Nigeria’s troubled university system, though he lamented that it came after a struggle that should have ended years earlier.

“The 2009 agreement was due for renegotiation in 2012, but it dragged on for this long due to poverty of sincerity in government,” Piwuna said. “What we are unveiling today is the outcome of a prolonged struggle that began in 2017.”

He traced failed renegotiations under previous committees before progress was achieved under the Alhaji Yayale Ahmed-led team inaugurated in October 2024.

“About 14 months later, we are here to witness an agreement. This agreement addresses conditions of service, funding, university autonomy, academic freedom and systemic reforms to reverse decay, curb brain drain and reposition our universities for national development,” he said.

Piwuna commended President Tinubu, Dr. Alausa and Ahmed for their commitment, recounting intense negotiations that eventually yielded results.

However, he warned that university autonomy and governance remain under threat, accusing governments of dissolving governing councils and interfering in the appointment of vice-chancellors.

“Merit is often sacrificed for political preferences. Councils’ recommendations are frequently rejected, creating legitimacy crises,” he said.

He also welcomed provisions for research funding, including plans to forward a National Research Council Bill to the National Assembly proposing at least one per cent of GDP for research and development.

“Research funding is not a luxury; it is a necessity,” Piwuna stressed.

Mixed reactions from stakeholders

While applauding the agreement, the Congress of University Academics (CONUA) said some issues remain unresolved. Its National President, Dr. Niyi Sunmonu, noted that ASUU is not the only academic union in the university system.

“The agreement is good and in the right direction, but there are other unions in the system. Government should conclude negotiations with all unions so we can have lasting peace on our campuses,” he said.

The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) welcomed the deal, saying it would restore academic stability. Its spokesman, Adeyemi Ajasa, urged swift implementation to avoid a repeat of past agreements stalled by delays.

Similarly, the National Parent Teacher Association of Nigeria (NAPTAN) described the pact as an achievement, appealing to all parties to ensure timely implementation.

Stakeholders believe the agreement could usher in a new era of stability and excellence in Nigeria’s universities, restoring predictability to academic calendars and renewed hope to students and parents across the country.

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