THE Federal Government has signed and unveiled a fresh agreement with the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), formally replacing the long-disputed 2009 pact that fuelled years of industrial action in Nigeria’s public universities.
The agreement was signed on Wednesday, January 14, at the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) Conference Hall in Maitama, Abuja, with top government officials and ASUU leaders in attendance.
Present at the event were the Minister of Education, Tunji Alausa; the Minister of State for Education, Suwaiba Ahmad; the Minister of Labour and Employment, Mohammed Dingyadi; and the leadership of ASUU, led by its president, Chris Piwuna.
Speaking at the unveiling, Piwuna said the union was cautiously optimistic that the Federal Government would faithfully implement the terms of the agreement without pushing ASUU to threaten industrial action.
“We are optimistic that the government will implement this agreement in totality, but pessimism still exists because of our history,” he said.
“It is our belief that Dr. Tunji Alausa will be different, and that our union will not need to issue a strike threat before any part of this agreement is implemented. As you always say, you are open and accessible; ASUU is also open and accessible,” he added.
Describing the agreement as a major shift, Alausa said it marked a turning point for Nigeria’s tertiary education system and signalled an end to frequent strikes in public universities.
“History will remember today not merely as an unveiling ceremony, but as the day Nigeria chose dialogue, transparency, fiscal realism, and strong presidential commitment as the pathway to resolving long-standing governance challenges weand achieving sustained progress,” the minister stated.
Alausa explained that the agreement restored predictability to academic calendars, boosts staff morale, and offers renewed hope to students and parents across the country.
He added that “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,” he said.
On implementation, the Minister of Labour and Employment urged both parties to act in good faith, stressing that “agreements only gain value when their provisions are sincerely executed.”
“Faithful and timely execution will not only build trust between the government and university staff but will also foster lasting industrial peace and restore confidence among students, parents, and the wider Nigerian public.
“Agreements gain true meaning not at the point of signing but through consistent and honest implementation,” Dingyadi said.
Key components of the agreement
According to the Education minister, key provisions of the new agreement include a 40 per cent upward review of the emoluments of university academic staff, which he said was aimed at improving welfare, enhancing service delivery, and addressing brain drain.
Under the new structure, academics will be paid through a combination of existing salary frameworks and a consolidated academic tools allowance, which accounts for the 40 per cent review.
He explained that academic staff would be remunerated under two components: the Consolidated University Academic Staff Salary (CONUASS) and the Consolidated Academic Tools Allowance (CATA).
According to him, the CATA is meant to cover essential academic needs such as journal publications, conference attendance, internet access, membership of professional bodies, and book allowances.
The minister added that the agreement also introduced, for the first time, a “professorial cadre allowance” for full-time professors and senior academic leaders.
Under the newly introduced professorial cadre allowance, full professors will earn N1.7 million per year, while academics at the rank of Reader will receive N840,000 annually.
Alausa stressed that the allowance recognised the heavy administrative, scholarly, and research responsibilities borne by academics at that level and did not apply to part-time staff.
“For the first time, the FG has approved a new professorial cadre allowance that apply to senior academics at the level of full time professors and leaders in our tertiary institutions
“Let me emphasise clearly that these allowances apply strictly to full time and not part time professors and leaders.
“This approval recognises the significant workload, administrative, scholarly and research responsibilities borne by academics at this level by the virtue of their profession and positions as professors or leaders in our universities,” he said.
Mustapha Usman is an investigative journalist with the International Centre for Investigative Reporting. You can easily reach him via: musman@icirnigeria.com. He tweets @UsmanMustapha_M