In a decisive move to end recurring industrial strike action, the Federal Government and the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) have signed a comprehensive agreement designed to ensure lasting peace and stability in the nation’s public universities.
The landmark pact, unveiled on Wednesday in Abuja by the Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, includes a significant 40% upward review of lecturers’ emoluments, effective from January 1, 2026.
Dr. Alausa hailed the agreement as a historic turning point, restoring trust and confidence in the university system after years of strikes and academic disruptions. He credited President Bola Ahmed Tinubu with providing unprecedented leadership to resolve the long-standing crisis.
“For the first time in our history, a sitting President confronted this challenge head-on and gave it the leadership attention it truly deserved,” Alausa stated.
The new remuneration package comprises the Consolidated University Academic Staff Salary (CONUASS) and an enhanced Consolidated Academic Tools Allowance (CATA), aimed at supporting research, publications, and other academic activities.
A key innovation is the introduction of a Professorial Cadre Allowance, which will see Professors receive N1.74 million annually and Readers N840,000 annually, in recognition of their advanced responsibilities.
The agreement also restructures nine Earned Academic Allowances, clearly linking them to specific duties such as postgraduate supervision, examinations, and clinical work.
The minister praised the negotiating teams, led by Alhaji Yayale Ahmed for the government and Professor Chris Piwuna for ASUU, for their role in securing the breakthrough. He assured of the government’s commitment to full implementation under the Renewed Hope Agenda.
Stakeholders anticipate that the agreement will usher in an era of sustained academic calendar stability, enhanced productivity, and reduced brain drain in Nigeria’s higher education sector.
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