•Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, FG delegation and ASUU executives
After 16 years of negotiations, industrial crises that rocked the country’s university system, the federal government and the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) have formally signed a new agreement.
The Joint Action Committee (JAC) of the Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions (NASU) and the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) welcomed the agreement, reports The Guardian.
However, ASUU raised concerns over alleged mismanagement of funds and governance weaknesses in some universities across the country.
Meanwhile, ASUU has disclosed that the Chairman of the Federal Government/ASUU Renegotiation Team, Yayale Ahmed, was close to stepping down from the panel after negotiations deadlocked.
A major highlight of the agreement is the review of the remuneration package of academic staff in federal tertiary institutions, as approved by the National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission, with effect from January 1, 2026.
Under the new deal, the emoluments of university academics will be reviewed upward by 40 per cent to enhance morale, improve service delivery, boost global competitiveness and curb brain drain.
The new salary structure will comprise the Consolidated University Academic Staff Salary (CONUASS) and the Consolidated Academic Tools Allowance (CATA).
A defining feature of the new agreement is the introduction of a new Professorial Cadre Allowance for full-time professors and readers. Under the arrangement, professors will receive N1.8 million yearly (N140,000 monthly), while readers will earn N840,000 yearly (N70,000 monthly).
Also, the 40 per cent increase will be represented largely through the consolidated academic tools allowance, which is peculiar to university academics and covers journal publications, conference participation, Internet access, learned society membership and book allowances.
In addition, nine Earned Academic Allowances (EAA) have been clearly restructured and tied strictly to duties performed.
These include allowances for postgraduate supervision, fieldwork, clinical duties, moderation, examinations and leadership responsibilities, a move the government says will promote productivity, accountability and fairness.
The allowance, which does not apply to part-time academics, is designed to support research coordination, academic documentation and administrative efficiency, enabling senior scholars to focus more on teaching, mentorship and innovation.
Speaking in Abuja, yesterday, at the presentation of the renegotiated agreement between the federal government and ASUU, as well as Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, described the agreement as a historic turning point that symbolises renewed trust, restored confidence and a firm commitment to uninterrupted academic calendars in Nigerian universities.
NASU and SSANU, however, warned that a delay in concluding negotiations with non-academic unions could destabilise industrial peace in the university system.
In a statement issued yesterday in Abuja, JAC described the January 14, 2026, agreement as a significant milestone after prolonged and difficult negotiations, noting that it demonstrated that dialogue remains the most viable pathway to resolving labour disputes in public universities.
The committee cautioned that the gains recorded with ASUU would ring hollow if the federal government failed to expedite action on the ongoing renegotiation of conditions of service for NASU and SSANU, whose members provide critical administrative, technical and support services across federal universities.
A statement jointly signed by the General Secretary of NASU, Peters Adeyemi, and the President of SSANU/Chairman of JAC, Mohammed Ibrahim, stressed: “Timely conclusion of the renegotiation with NASU and SSANU would avert a breakdown of industrial peace and harmony in the system.”
Warning that the situation was undermining accountability, stability and academic standards in the system, Piwuna 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 law, its practical implementation remained weak, leading to persistent external interference in university administration.
According to him, the arbitrary dissolution of governing councils and interference in the appointment of vice-chancellors have become recurring challenges, which undermine meritocracy and erode institutional stability.
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.
Speaking yesterday in Abuja at the presentation of the renegotiated agreement between the federal government and the union, Piwuna, who read some text messages sent to him by Ahmed, said he almost threw in the towel during the renegotiation.
Addressing stakeholders at the TETFund Auditorium, which was filled, he said the prolonged stalemate and intense pressure at critical stages of the talks nearly derailed the process, stressing that the patience, perseverance, and renewed will demonstrated by all parties eventually broke the deadlock.
He further commended the federal government for showing greater openness and sincerity in the final stages of the negotiations, noting that the agreement signalled a shift towards a dialogue-driven conflict resolution in the university system.
He expressed optimism that faithful implementation of the pact would usher in stability and restore confidence among lecturers and students alike.
