Category: Education

The Joint Action Committee (JAC) of the Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions (NASU) and Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) has commended the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) for signing the 2009 FGN – ASUU renegotiation agreement with the Federal Government.

Also yesterday, former Vice Chancellor, Federal University, Oye-Ekiti and  Professor of International Relations, Kayode Soremekun, President National Parent Teacher Association of Nigeria (NAPTAN), Alhaji Haruna Danjuma and Public Relations Officer (PRO) of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), Adeyemi Samson Ajasa, hailed the agreement.

The agreement was presented to the public yesterday by Minister of Education, Tunji Alausa, at an event attended by former ASUU presidents, ministers, academics, senators, Rep members among others.

However, the JAC of SSANU, NASU urged the government to expedite action on the pending renegotiation with NASU and SSANU.

A statement signed by Prince Peters Adeyemi, General Secretary, NASU and Mohammed Ibrahim, President, SSANU and Chairman of JAC, said: “JAC of NASU and SSANU remains committed to the entrenchment of industrial harmony and sustainable communities in our universities, and calls on the Federal Government to ensure expedited action in the ongoing renegotiation with NASU and SSANU, as any further delay after the signing of today’s agreement with our sister union would be tantamount to a clear invitation to chaos, and the distortion of industrial peace which we have continued to maintain despite government’s continued insensitivity to the university system and the gruesome conditions under which our members are made to work.

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“JAC notes that timely conclusion of the ongoing renegotiation with NASU and SSANU would avert the breakdown of industrial peace and harmony in the system, and hereby advises the Federal Government not to stir the hornet’s nest through any form of delay tactics.”

Danjuma, in a chat with The Nation, said: “It’s a great turning point in restoring stability, trust and quality in Nigerian tertiary education systems if Federal Government stands by the agreement, and on the other side I urge ASUU to accept the agreement now that the government has unveiled the renegotiation agreement as part of their own contributions, we therefore commend the efforts of the Minister of Education for facilitating this agreement, and we hope he will ensure total execution of the agreement.”

Ajasa said: “I  believe this new agreement will build a new stability and ensure proper funding of education, with all these previous agitations  resolved.

“I believe it will take proper and immediate effect,  whereby all parties will be satisfied.

“This should also  motivate the lecturers and staff to do their  best and deliver proper education and teaching and learning to students, including proper research works.

“So, we believe that will change the narrative of what we are having today in terms of education. This will motivate the lecturers and give  them a renewed commitment to do their best. We believe that this will also solve the over 16 years of stalled negotiations and bring about a fresh breath.

“We applaud the Federal Government for their effort and for reaching a consensus on the way forward.

“A  message to both parties is  that they should  be sincere.

“If possible, the National Assembly should be aware of it. Any party that fails  to meet up to their own side should be penalized and it should be made public.

“We want the government to be sincere and   not  allow bureaucratic deficiencies and likes to stall it or to affect it.

“ASUU also should try as much as possible to play their own part and make use of it in good way and allow it to show in their  output and delivery.”

For Soremekun, Tinubu administration’s action with the final signing of the renegotiated agreement was a significant and positive step.

Soremekun, in an interview with Nation, said: “And I believe that if it is sustained, Nigeria will be well on its way to ensuring a better and wholesome university system. And I’m saying this with the highest sense of responsibility, because as a university teacher, I’ve applied my trade within Nigeria and outside Nigeria. And I believe that the greatest blessing that any ruling class can do for itself is to give a wholesome profile to the knowledge industry.

“I’m saying this because the knowledge industry does not stand on its own. It is supposed to have an organic link. It’s supposed to be an organic link between knowledge on one hand and the policy corridor on the other.

“But in Nigeria, this is not the case. The hope here is that this administration will move forward to ensure an organic linkage between knowledge on one hand and policy on the other. I’m saying this because of countless examples around the world.

“If we have any problem in this country today, I can assure you that such a problem would have been addressed by professors in the universities. But unfortunately, you don’t see this linkage. The policy corridor just goes on its own, and the knowledge industry just goes on its own.”

The professor added: “People hardly realize that the Second World War was not just fought by bombs and bullets, but it was fought by the knowledge systems in Britain and the United States. This is what I want to see happen. So, it’s not just an agreement between the government on one hand and us on the other.

“I see it as a first step in terms of ensuring that there’s an organic linkage between knowledge and policy. I’m saying this because when they have problems anywhere in other parts of the world, especially in developed countries, they turn to the university system. If you are talking of a sugar policy, if you are talking of value addition policies, if you are talking of backward linkages – all these issues have been addressed in the university.

“It is only left for the government to link up with them. Are you getting my point. So in saying this, what the government has done is very, very good.

“But at the same time, I also want to be cautiously optimistic. Here is hoping that the government will move fast to implement this agreement.”

And I want to say something.

“The government and ASUU, they have to be commended for one thing. They did not allow this particular situation to degenerate into a street fight, unlike earlier times when ASUU would go on strike for months until something happens. This time around, they have responded very well to the issue in a concrete way.

“I also want to commend the government for something. They have been able to take care of professors. That the professor will now go home after retirement with his full pay. I think they more than deserve this.”

• 40 per cent pay rise for varsity teachers in Fed Govt, ASUU renegotiated agreement

The Federal Government yesterday inked a new agreement with the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), 16 years after the last agreement was signed. The signing of the renegotiated FGN-ASUU 2009 agreement, which was a product of collective bargaining (CBA), is expected to strengthen the university system and ensure stability in academic calendar, FRANK IKPEFAN reports.

Many Nigerians had hoped that the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) would have to embark on another round of strike before the Federal Government would honour the recent renegotiated agreement with the union.

This is because for decades, unresolved remuneration concerns, welfare gaps, and recurring industrial disputes disrupted academic calendars, undermined staff morale, and threatened the future of the young people in the universities.

But, against that line of thought, the Federal Government yesterday unveiled the renegotiated agreement with the ASUU, 16 years after the last agreement was signed to continue to keep the gates of universities open. The government described it as a turning point in restoring stability, trust and quality in the university education system.

Even before the unveiling ceremony, the government had kick-started the implementation of some aspects of the agreement reached on December 23, 2025, which marked the end of the 16-year crisis in the university education.

Before yesterday’s event, the government had through a letter from the National Salaries, Income and Wages Commission (NSIWC) directed relevant Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) to begin the implementation of the component relating to the allowances for the academics.

Chairperson of the NSIWC, Ekpo Nta, had in the letter addressed to MDAs, including the Head of Civil Service, Ministry of Finance and Accountant General of the Federation, said the government has approved the reviewed remuneration and directed implementation from January 1.

 The academics are now entitled to increased allowances for Consolidated Academic Tools Allowances (CATA), secretarial allowance for professors and readers, and Earned Academic Allowances (EAA), the letter said.

    These allowances have existed since 2009, but ASUU had accused the government of failing to release them to the academics. The union had also called for its review upwards among others since 2012, as agreed in the 2009 agreement.

Also, under this current renegotiated agreement, the Nigerian Government has announced that full-time Professors in Nigerian universities will henceforth receive an additional annual allowance of N1.8 million, even as full-time Readers are now to receive an additional N870,000 annual salary increase.

He explained that under the new structure, professors would receive an additional N1.8 million per annum, amounting to about N140,000 monthly, while academic readers would receive N840,000 per annum, or N70,000 monthly.

Minister: it’s our commitment to quality and uninterrupted academic calendars

The signing of the renegotiated FGN-ASUU 2009 agreement, which was a product of collective bargaining (CBA), is expected to strengthen the university system and ensure stability in academic calendar.

    Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa presented the signed agreement to the public yesterday at an event attended by Vice – Chancellors, Registrars, past and present presidents of ASUU; senators, House of Representative members; academics among others.

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    The 2025 renegotiated agreement is the outcome of a prolonged renegotiation process initiated in 2017 to review the 2009 FGN–ASUU agreement, to revitalise Nigeria’s university system.

It is hoped that the faithful implementation of the agreement will contribute to industrial harmony, improve working conditions for academic staff, enhance teaching and research outcomes, and ensure a more predictable academic calendar for students and their families.

Alausa confirmed that the implementation of the signed agreement will commence this month, with the+ circular already issued to the National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission, on the salary component of the agreement.

 Key components of the agreement

Under the new deal, the emolument of university academic was reviewed upward by 40% to enhance morale, improve quality of service delivery and global competitiveness of Nigerian Tertiary Educational institutions, while reversing Brain Drain.

The Earned Academic Allowances of university teachers, which are nine in number, have been clearly structured, transparently earned, and strictly tied to duties performed, thereby promoting productivity, accountability, and fairness.

The allowances also consist of enhanced provisions for postgraduate supervision, fieldwork, clinical duties, moderation, examination responsibilities, and leadership roles within the tertiary education system.

For the first time, the government also approved a new Professorial Cadre Allowance. This allowance applies to senior academics at the level of full-time Professors and Readers in tertiary institutions. The allowance applies strictly to full-time, and not part-time professors and readers.

The breakdown shows that: Professors are to earn additional N1,740,000 per annum — equivalent to N140,000 per month and N840,000 per annum — equivalent to N70,000 per month — for Readers.

The government explained that the professorial cadre allowance was specifically designed to support research coordination, academic documentation, correspondence, and administrative efficiency—thereby enabling our scholars to focus more effectively on teaching, innovation, mentorship, and global knowledge production.

According to Alausa, the intervention is not cosmetic but structural, practical, and transformative.

The minister explained that with the support, direction, and guidance of President Bola Tinubu, the government confronted what many had described as an intractable problem—and we have resolved it decisively, now and into the future.

Alausa said: “This administration did not shy away from complexity; we confronted it squarely. Through sustained engagement, fiscal realism, and mutual respect, we have laid a durable foundation for industrial harmony in our Federal Tertiary Educational Institutions.

“Let me state this clearly: it is President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, who has taken us to where we are today. His unwavering commitment, hands-on guidance, and steadfast belief in education as a national investment made this achievement possible.”

A new era for Nigerian universities

The renegotiated agreement ushers in a new era of stability, dignity, and excellence for Nigeria’s tertiary education system.

It is expected to restore confidence to lecturers, predictability to academic calendars, and hope to millions of students and parents across the country.

Also speaking at the signing, Minister of State for Education, Prof. Suwaiba Ahmad said the unveiling of the FGN–ASUU Agreement was not merely the conclusion of a negotiation process but the renewal of a covenant, a covenant between government and the academic community, and ultimately between the state and the Nigerian child.

She said: “That is why this Agreement carries a deeper significance. It represents a shared resolve to break with the past, to replace confrontation with collaboration, and to anchor engagement on trust rather than suspicion.

“The Federal Government, under the visionary leadership of His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, remains firmly committed to the Renewed Hope Agenda, which places education at the heart of national transformation. This administration recognises that a stable, well-funded, and globally competitive university system is indispensable to Nigeria’s aspirations for innovation, productivity, and inclusive growth.”

According to her, the process leading to the agreement was driven by sincerity, patience, and a shared understanding that while differences may arise, they can and must be resolved through constructive engagement.

She commended the leadership of ASUU and the government negotiation team under the leadership of Ahmed for demonstrating maturity, patriotism, and a focus on the greater good throughout the engagement process.

New deal is aimed at repositioning varsities for growth, says Piwuna

President of ASUU, Chris Piwuna said that the agreement focused on conditions of service, funding, university autonomy and academic freedom, as well as other systemic reforms aimed at reversing decay, curbing brain drain and repositioning universities for national development.

He commended Ahmed and members of the renegotiation team, Alausa, and President Tinubu for their commitment to concluding the renegotiation process.

The ASUU president said: “We are optimistic that the agreement will be implemented in totality by the Federal Government, but there still exists that pessimistic side, looking at our history with the government and the poverty of sincerity.

“It is our belief that the union would not need to issue a strike threat for the full implementation of the 2025 ASUU-FGN Renegotiated agreement.”

Mismanagement, governance gaps undermining universities, says ASUU

But, ASUU at the event also raised concerns over alleged mismanagement of funds and governance weaknesses in some universities across the country.

Pinuwa warned that the situation was undermining accountability, stability and academic standards in the system.

He noted that weak governance structures had continued to affect effective utilisation of resources in some institutions.

The ASUU president said that although university autonomy was recognised in principle and partially entrenched in the law, its practical implementation remained weak, leading to persistent external interference in university administration.

According to him, arbitrary dissolution of governing councils and interference in the appointment of vice-chancellors have become recurring challenges which undermine meritocracy and erode institutional stability.

Pinuwa noted that such interventions had often resulted in conflicts, litigation and staff polarisation within universities, thereby disrupting academic activities and effective management.

He also expressed concerns about the creeping culture of prolonged acting vice-chancellorship in universities, calling for greater scrutiny of governing councils and principal officers to safeguard institutional integrity.

On research funding, the ASUU president said adequate funding was critical to relevance and global competitiveness of Nigerian universities.

He added that research and development funding formed a key component of the 2025 re-negotiated agreement with the federal government.

 “Nigerian universities have faced paucity of research funding for a very long time, and I’m glad that research and development funding is a component of the 2025 ASUU-FG re-negotiated agreement.

“It was agreed that the National Research Council (NRC) Bill shall be forwarded to the National Assembly for consideration.

  “The proposed bill shall provide for at least one per cent equivalent of GDP as a source of funding for research, innovation and development.

“It is my belief that, as stakeholders, members of the National Assembly will expedite action in the passage of the bill,” he said.

 The ASUU president also criticised promotion practices in some newly-established federal universities of education, alleging that due process and established standards for professorial appointments were being compromised.

According to him, the conversion of colleges of education to universities should not erode established academic standards.

Consequently, Pinuwa called on vice-chancellors of the affected institutions to urgently review such promotions to protect the integrity of the university system.

At last, it is hurrah to the commitment of President Bola Tinubu-led government for bringing  hope, relief and a breath of fresh air  to the nation’s  education, with the  unveiling of  a renegotiated agreement with the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU).

The  ripples hitherto created by contentious 2009 Agreement will be laid to rest, perhaps, since  the Federal Government has demonstrated the will to rewrite the sector’s narrative.

Observers described it as turning point  in Nigeria’s tertiary education system, signalling the intent and resolve of President Bola Tinubu to ensure  accessible, quality and uninterrupted academic calendars.

But it was a tortuous journey to the signing of  the latest agreement, one strewn with obstacles to say the least.

 Previous attempts to review the 2009 Agreement were fruitless despite the intervention of four committees.

The agreement  due for renegotiation in 2012, after three years, dragged on due to disagreements from both the Federal Government and ASUU.

The  government had established a committee led by Wale Babalakin, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) and erstwhile pro-chancellor of the University of Lagos, in 2017 to review the 2009 agreement but the committee was unable complete the review.

Another committee headed by Chairman, Committee of Pro-chancellors, Prof Munzali Jibril in 2020 under the administration of late President Muhammadu Buhari was also set up.

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In 2021, the Munzali committee working with the union produced recommendations in a draft agreement within three months.

The  government then  rejected the salary structure proposed by the committee, with the  insistence there were no funds  to pay university teachers.

With no headway in sight, the Buhari-led  administration created  another committee headed by the late Emeritus Prof Nimi Briggs.

On June 16, 2022, the Briggs Committee submitted a draft agreement to the government, terming it a product of collective bargaining, but the government didn’t implement the recommendations.

This culminated in the 2022 industrial action which lasted October, prompting the National Industrial Court to order a suspension of the strike after a suit was instituted against ASUU by the Federal Government.

In 2024, erstwhile Education Minister, Prof. Tahir Mamman inaugurated the Yayale Ahmed-led committee to handle the renegotiation of agreements with university – based unions.

This led to the signing of this present agreement, and fresh breath of hope.

The journey from the 2009 FGN-ASUU Agreement to the 2025 renegotiated settlement demonstrates the ultra-complex nature of sanitising  Nigeria’s public university system. The  2009 Agreement served as a  crucial starting point to an anticipated bright future, though the foot dragging on implementation tainted the whole system and generated much furore all the years.

Observers wait with bated breath to see if this current settlement will signal the death knell to incessant strikes and disruptions in the nation’s education space.