By Adesina Wahab and Joseph Erunke
LAGOS — In a landmark move to redefine the future of Nigeria’s tertiary education, the Federal Government and the Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, yesterday reached an agreement that promised improved welfare for lecturers, industrial harmony, and uninterrupted academic calendars across federal universities.
Unveiling the agreement in Abuja, Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, described the pact as a historic turning point that is expected to restore trust, dignity and confidence in the nation’s university system after decades of strikes and instability.
This is just as other stakeholders in the sector, such as the National Association of Nigerian Students, NANS, the National Parent Teacher Association of Nigeria, NAPTAN and the Congress of University Academics, CONUA, commended the deal but with some reservations.
Speaking on the occasion, Alausa said: “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.”
He credited President Bola Tinubu for taking what he described as an unprecedented step by personally confronting and resolving a long-standing crisis that had crippled universities, disrupted academic calendars and dimmed the hopes of millions of students.
“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 said, stressing that the administration chose “dialogue over discord, reform over delay, and resolution over rhetoric.”
Central to the agreement is a 40 per cent upward review of the emoluments of university academic staff, approved by the National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission, NSIWC, and scheduled to take effect from January 1, 2026.
Under the new structure, academic remuneration will comprise the Consolidated University Academic Staff Salary, CONUASS, and a strengthened Consolidated Academic Tools Allowance, CATA, designed to support journal publications, conference participation, internet access, professional memberships and book development, key tools for global academic competitiveness and the fight against brain drain.
The agreement also restructured nine earned academic allowances, now clearly defined, transparently earned and directly tied to duties performed, including post-graduate supervision, field work, clinical responsibilities, examinations and leadership roles.
In a first for Nigeria’s university system, the Federal Government approved a new professorial cadre allowance for full-time professors and readers, acknowledging their heavy academic, administrative and research responsibilities.
Under the scheme, professors will receive N1.74 million annually (N140,000 monthly), while readers will earn N840,000 annually (N70,000 monthly) as allowances in that regard.
According to Alausa, the allowance is designed to boost research coordination, academic documentation and administrative efficiency, enabling senior academics to focus more on teaching, mentorship and innovation.
“This intervention is not cosmetic,” the minister emphasised, adding that it is structural, practical and transformative.
Alausa assured Nigerians that the Federal Government remains committed to faithful implementation of the agreement under the Renewed Hope Agenda, promising continuous engagement and sustained reforms.
The agreement, stakeholders believe, will usher in a new era of stability and excellence for Nigerian universities, restoring predictability to academic calendars and hope to students and parents nationwide.
The minister also commended members of both negotiating teams, led by Alhaji Yayale Ahmed for government and Professor Chris Piwuna for ASUU, as well as the immediate past ASUU leadership under Professor Emmanuel Osodeke, for laying the groundwork for the breakthrough.
“History will be remembered today not just as an unveiling ceremony but as the day Nigeria chose dialogue, transparency and strong presidential commitment as the pathway to resolving long-standing governance challenges,” the minister added.
It’s a step towards rescuing Nigeria’s troubled varsity system — ASUU boss
Speaking at the event, the president of ASUU, Prof. Chris Piwuna, described the agreement as a major step towards rescuing Nigeria’s troubled university system, but regretted that it came after a struggle that should have ended more than a decade ago.
“The 2009 agreement was due for renegotiation in 2012, but it dragged on for this long due to poverty of sincerity in government. What we are unveiling today is the outcome of a prolonged struggle that began in 2017,’’ he said.
Piwuna traced the tortuous path to the agreement, recalling failed re-negotiations, led by Chief Wale Babalakin, SAN, in 2017; Munzali Jibrin in 2021; and Nimi Briggs in 2022, before progress was made under the Yayale Ahmed-led committee 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.
He commended President Tinubu, Dr. Alausa and the chairman of the renegotiation committee, Alhaji Yayale Ahmed, for what he described as uncommon commitment and integrity.
“At a point, Mallam Yayale told me, ‘I stake my integrity on this. That is the highest possession I protect.’ Sir, you will go to heaven,” Piwuna said, adding that despite tough exchanges during negotiations, he now had “nothing but respect” for the minister and his team.
Autonomy, governance still at risk
Despite celebrating the deal, the ASUU president raised serious concerns about what he called persistent government encroachment on university autonomy.
“University autonomy is universally recognised as the cornerstone of a functional higher education system but in Nigeria, its implementation remains weak,” he warned.
He accused federal and state governments of arbitrarily dissolving governing councils and interfering in the appointment of vice-chancellors, saying merit was often sacrificed for political preferences.
“Councils’ recommendations are frequently rejected. Preferred candidates are imposed despite not emerging best. This erodes meritocracy, fuels conflict and creates legitimacy crises,” he said, also criticising the growing use of “acting vice-chancellors,’’ he added.
Piwuna welcomed the inclusion of research funding in the agreement, revealing that it provided for forwarding 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,” he said, urging lawmakers to give the bill accelerated consideration.
He further accused some university managements and governing councils of mismanaging funds won through ASUU struggles, alleging widespread consultancy abuses, contract irregularities and financial recklessness. “Our universities are now run by consultants. Consultancy has become a clean way of cleansing funds fought for by ASUU,” he alleged.
There’re still outstanding issues — CONUA
While acknowledging that some progress had been made with the signing of the agreement, the National President of CONUA, Dr Niyi Sunmonu, said the government should note that ASUU was not the only staff union in the university system.
“The agreement is good and in the right direction. It was, however, done with one union in the university system. There are other academic staff unions in the system and CONUA is one. And I can tell you that we have some issues yet to be resolved with the government.
‘’We call on the federal government to conclude negotiation with other unions in the system, so we can be rest assured of peace on our campuses.
“ On October 21, last year, we had a meeting with the minister of education and his team and we were told to make our submissions and we did. Last December, they acknowledged the receipt of our submissions and said they would get back to us,” he said.
When told that some of the submissions of the union could have been included in the new agreement, Sunmonu said that shouldn’t have stopped government from formally getting in touch with his union.
“Without conceding the fact, let us assume that our submissions have formed part of the agreement, courtesy demands that they should still get across to us. And if there are issues not yet included, them we will draw their attention to those ones,” he stated.
It’ll allow for academic stability on campuses —NANS
Reacting to the development yesterday, the National Public Relations Officer of NANS, Mr. Adeyemi Ajasa, said it would allow for academic stability on campuses.
“It is to the advantage of all, especially the students who have lost years to incessant strikes. However, we would canvass immediate implementation of the agreement so that events would not overtake it.
‘’Previous agreements were stalled because of the dilly-dallying in their implementations and events overtook them.
“We also want a situation where other stakeholders would be involved and be able to monitor the implementation so that any party that fails to do its part can be called to order. It will put an end to students spending donkey years on campus for a four-year course,” he said.
It’s an achievement — NAPTAN
On his part, the National President of NAPTAN, Alhaji Haruna Danjuma, described the development as an achievement.
“I commend the education minister for pulling this through at the Presidency level. I appeal to ASUU that if there are still other pending issues, they should take this and forge ahead.
‘’They can give the Federal Government more time to address any other pending issues. The implementation should not be delayed,” he noted.
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