January 18, (THEWILL) — After 16 years of negotiations, the Federal Government and the Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, signed what has been described as a landmark agreement.
According to the Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, who unveiled the details of the agreement on Wednesday, January 14, 2025 after the signing ceremony, held at the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) headquarters in Abuja, the pact marks a “decisive turning point,” in industrial relations within Nigeria’s public university system.
Indeed, it is, theoretically, that is. Since 2009 when the problem started and a document was signed in 2017 between the government and ASUU, amid several sittings and committees headed by Akin Babalakin, Professor Munzali Jibril, Professor Nimi Briggs and most recently, Alhaji Yayale Ahmed committee in 2025, it has been a back and forth argument, leading to strikes and protests that grounded the public university system periodically.
The problem simply has been about funding, conditions of service, academic freedom, university autonomy, review of some laws of the Joint Admission and Matriculation Board, JAMB and the Nigeria University Commission, NUC.
Unresolved over the years, the lingering issues had negatively impacted the universities and tertiary education generally through intermittent protests, strikes by the teachers. Nigeria universities ranking dropped drastically over the years. Broken university education with demoralised staff and half-baked students as end product as well as the psychological burden on parents, have had their toll on everybody. We hope this new agreement puts a closure to this sad past.
Under the new terms, the problem appears to have been frontally tackled. Academic staff across federal universities will receive a 40 per cent salary increase. Additionally, a new “Professorial Cadre Allowance” has been introduced, providing N1.7 million annually for professors and N840,000 for readers to support research coordination and administrative efficiency.
Pension benefits have also been significantly enhanced. Professors retiring at the statutory age of 70 will now receive monthly pensions equivalent to their full final annual salaries. This provision aims to recognise decades of academic service and discourage post-retirement hardship.
Furthermore, the agreement proposes the establishment of a National Research Council (NRC), to be funded with at least 1per cent of Nigeria’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP). The council is expected to coordinate and drive cutting-edge research critical to national innovation and economic growth.
In terms of institutional governance, the pact reinforces university autonomy and academic freedom. A major highlight is the requirement that deans and provosts be elected from among the professoriate, ensuring that leadership remains anchored on academic merit.
The agreement, which officially took effect on January 1, 2026, also includes a revised funding model with dedicated allocations for the rehabilitation of laboratories, libraries and equipment.
However, we note that while the Minister was upbeat about the agreement, ASUU President, Professor Chris Piwuna, expressed cautious optimism during the ceremony, noting that while the union welcomes the deal, the government must remain sensitive to the economic realities facing Nigerians.
He highlighted that despite the gains, many families are still struggling with the high cost of living and transportation. He urged the government to ensure the “totality” of the implementation to prevent a return to the cycle of industrial actions that has historically disrupted the sector.
This lack of commitment to agreement has been one of the major drawbacks over the years. We hope, like Piwuna said, the government is, this time around, totally committed to implementing the agreement. Nonetheless, we commend the government for signing the agreement, which, compared to the prevailing official actions, is a significant departure from the past.
Worthy of mention, too, is the N2 trillion intervention for the universities, polytechnic and colleges of education by the Tertiary Education Trust Fund for the 2026 funding cycle. The new allocations place a heavy emphasis on research, ICT development, and critical infrastructure.
The Executive Secretary of TETFund, Arc. Sonny Echono, who announced the figures on Tuesday, January 13, 2026, during the official disbursement of intervention letters to heads of tertiary institutions in Abuja, disclosed that each university will receive N2.525 billion, while polytechnics and colleges of education will receive N1.871 billion and N2.056 billion, respectively.
A total of 271 beneficiary institutions are slated to receive these annual direct disbursements. The total package represents 90.75 per cent of the Fund’s statutory allocations for the year, comprising 50 per cent in annual direct disbursements and 40.75 per cent in special direct disbursements. This is a boon to tertiary institutions in the country and we can only hope that it is the proverbial light at the end of a dark tunnel for both the government and staff of these institutions.
