By FUNMILAYO ADEYEMI

The Federal Government has unveiled a renegotiated agreement with the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), describing it as a turning point in restoring stability, trust and quality in Nigeria’s tertiary education system.

The Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, at the presentation of the agreement in Abuja on Wednesday, said it reflected the commitment of President Bola Tinubu to accessible, quality and uninterrupted academic calendars.

According to the minister, the President took personal ownership of resolving long-standing disputes that had affected the university system for decades.

“For decades, unresolved remuneration concerns, welfare gaps, and recurring industrial disputes disrupted academic calendars, undermined staff morale, and threatened the future of our young people.

“Under the leadership of President Bola Tinubu, we deliberately chose dialogue over discord, reform over delay, and resolution over rhetoric,” he said.

He explained that a key provision of the agreement was the review of the remuneration package of academic staff in federal tertiary institutions, as approved by the National Salaries, Income and Wages Commission, with effect from Jan. 1, 2026.

He said the emoluments of university academic staff had been reviewed upward by 40 per cent to improve morale, enhance service delivery, boost global competitiveness and curb brain drain.

According to him, the 40 per cent review is represented through a consolidated academic tools allowance, which is peculiar to university academic staff and forms part of the salary structure.

The minister said the consolidated academic tools allowance would cover journal publications, conference participation, internet access, learned society membership and book allowances.

This, he described as essential for effective teaching, research and global academic competitiveness.

He added that nine hitherto earned academic allowances had been clearly structured, made transparent and tied strictly to duties performed to promote productivity, accountability and fairness.

He also announced the introduction of a new professorial credit allowance, describing it as the first of its kind approved by the federal government.

According to him, the allowance applies strictly to full-time professors and academic readers in universities, in recognition of their heavy scholarly, administrative and research responsibilities.

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.

The minister said the allowance was designed to support research coordination, academic documentation, correspondence and administrative efficiency, enabling senior academics to focus more on teaching, mentorship, innovation and knowledge production.

The minister said the government had already commenced implementation of the agreement, noting that a circular directing the full implementation of the wages component had been issued by the National Salaries, Income and Wages Commission.

According to him, the circular, dated Dec. 30, 2025, was released to ensure the agreement took effect from Jan. 1, 2026, in line with the government’s commitment.

Also speaking, ASUU President, Prof. Chris Pinuwa recalled that the 2009 agreement, which was due for renegotiation in 2012, experienced prolonged delays.

Pinuwa said that the 2025 agreement was the outcome of a renegotiation process initiated in 2017 to revitalise Nigeria’s university system.

According to him, several renegotiation committees were constituted between 2017 and 2022 under successive administrations, including those chaired by Wale Babalakin, Munzali Jibrin and Nimi Briggs, but none produced a collective bargaining agreement.

He said the current administration inaugurated a new renegotiation committee chaired by Alhaji Yayale Ahmed in October 2024, noting that an agreement was reached about 14 months later.

He said 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 Bola Tinubu for their commitment to concluding the renegotiation process.

While expressing satisfaction with the successful collective bargaining process, Pinuwa said there were still unresolved issues affecting the university system, particularly persistent government interference in university autonomy.

“As we are here with joy for a successful collective bargaining between ASUU and the federal government, we need to note that there are still pending issues, which are more of internal.

“This issue is dragging the progress and survival of the university system: government persistent encroachment into the autonomy of the universities.

“University autonomy is universally recognised as a cornerstone of a functional higher education system.

“In Nigeria, although university autonomy is recognised in principle and partially entrenched in law, its practical implementation remains weak,” he said. (NAN)

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