Despite the federal government’s announcement that it has commenced implementation of the renegotiated agreement with the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), investigations reveal that the 40 per cent salary increase is yet to be reflected in the pay of lecturers across many federal universities.
Findings by our correspondent showed that of the 74 federal universities nationwide, only ASUU members in the University of Jos (UNIJOS) and a few others have received alerts reflecting the new salary structure, while the majority were paid their old wages for January, reports The Guardian.
Universities where lecturers are yet to receive the 40 per cent increase include the University of Abuja (UNIABUJA), University of Calabar (UNICAL), Federal University of Petroleum Resources, Effurun (FUPRE), Federal University of Otuoke, Federal University of Lafia (FULAFIA), Nigerian Maritime University, Okerenkoko (NMU), Federal University of Medical and Health Sciences, Kwale (FUK), and Alvan Ikoku Federal University of Education, among others.
Late yesterday, the Ministry of Education announced the commencement of key welfare provisions in the renegotiated ASUU agreement, including a 40 per cent increase in the Consolidated Academic Allowance (CAA) and the introduction of the Consolidated Tools Allowance (CATA), effective January 1, 2026.
In a statement signed by the ministry’s Director of Press and Public Relations, Folasade Boriowo, the Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, said the payments had been captured by the National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission (NSIWC) and incorporated into the 2026 budget. However, lecturers across several institutions described the announcement as inconsistent with realities on ground.
A professor at UNIABUJA, who requested anonymity, said staff received their old salaries in January, with no indication that the new allowances had been implemented.
“We only heard that implementation had commenced through newspaper reports. There has been no official communication to us, and nothing has changed in our payroll,” he said, questioning what he described as a “selective application” of the agreement.
Similarly, an ASUU National Executive Council (NEC) member from the South-East said the uneven implementation could worsen tensions between the union and the federal government.
At FULAFIA, an associate professor confirmed that while some earned academic allowances had been paid, the core provisions of the new agreement were absent from staff salaries.
“We were told the agreement was not captured in the 2026 budget and would take effect in 2027. Yet, we hear UNIJOS has started benefiting,” he said.
Lecturers at UNICAL and FUPRE also confirmed they were yet to receive the revised salary, despite official assurances that implementation had begun.
In contrast, a senior lecturer at UNIJOS confirmed that payments had commenced at the institution, noting that while the old salary was initially paid, the CATA component was later credited separately.
Reacting, ASUU National President, Prof. Chris Piwuna, confirmed that most members were yet to benefit from the agreement.
“That is correct. Implementation has started, but with challenges. There are cases of omission, and the majority of our branches were left out. However, the number of universities benefiting is increasing,” he said, adding that the research component of the agreement was still pending.
The Ministry of Education, however, maintained that implementation was universal, attributing delays in some universities to internal administrative challenges.
“It may be due to internal problems. From our end, everything has been done. The implementation applies to everybody,” Boriowo said.
