By National Record, With Agency Reports
THE FEDERAL Government and the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) have formally signed a renegotiated agreement, heralded as a pivotal step toward restoring stability and quality to Nigeria’s tertiary education system.
The agreement, unveiled in Abuja on Wednesday by the Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, isdescribed as a mark of President Bola Tinubu’s commitment to ensuring accessible, high-quality education and uninterrupted academic calendars.
Dr Alausa stated that the President took personal charge of resolving the protracted disputes that have plagued universities 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,” Alausa noted, adding that”Under the leadership of President Bola Tinubu, we deliberately chose dialogue over discord, reform over delay, and resolution over rhetoric.”
A central provision of the agreement is the review of remuneration for academic staff in federal tertiary institutions, effective January 1, 2026, as approved by the National Salaries, Income and Wages Commission.
The emoluments have been increased by 40%, implemented through a consolidated academic tools allowance designed to cover journal publications, conference participation, internet access, learned society memberships, and book allowances.
The adjustment aims to boost morale, enhance service delivery, improve global competitiveness, and mitigate brain drain.
In the new agreement, nine previously earned academic allowances have been restructured to ensure transparency and tie them directly to duties performed, the minister said.
The agreement also introduces a first-of-its-kind professorial credit allowance, acknowledging the extensive scholarly, administrative, and research responsibilities of full-time professors and academic readers.
Professors will receive an extra N1.8 million annually (approximately N140,000 monthly), while academic readers will get N840,000 per year (about N70,000 monthly).
This allowance is intended to support research coordination, academic documentation, and administrative efficiency.
The government has already begun implementing the agreement, with a circular from the National Salaries, Income and Wages Commission dated December 30, 2025, mandating full effect from January 1, 2026.
ASUU Flags Mismanagement, Governance Gaps
Despite the progress marked by the new agreement, ASUU President, Prof. Chris Piwuna, raised serious concerns about persistent mismanagement and governance deficiencies in Nigerian universities.
Speaking at the same event, Piwunawarned that these issues continue to undermine accountability, stability, and academic standards.
He noted that weak governance structures and poor implementation of university autonomy have led to persistent external interference, including arbitrary dissolution of governing councils and undue influence in the appointment of vice-chancellors.
“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,” Piwunastated, adding that such interventionsoften result in conflicts, litigation, and internal polarisation, disrupting academic and management activities.
Piwuna also criticised the trend of prolonged acting vice-chancellorships and called for greater scrutiny of governing councils and principal officers to protect institutional integrity.
On research funding, he emphasised its critical role in maintaining the global relevance of Nigerian universities, noting that the 2025 agreement includes a component for the establishment of a National Research Council (NRC).
The proposed NRC bill, slated for submission to the National Assembly, seeks to allocate at least one percent of Nigeria’s GDP to research, innovation, and development.
Piwunaalsoaddressed compromised promotion practices in some newly established federal universities of education, where due process and academic standards for professorial appointments are allegedly being bypassed.
He urged vice-chancellors of the affected institutions to review such promotions promptly to safeguard the integrity of the university system.
While appreciating the successful collective bargaining process by commending the renegotiation committee chaired by Alhaji Yayale Ahmed, Minister Alausa, and President Tinubu for their commitment, Piwuna, however, stressed that unresolved issues, particularly regarding university autonomy and governance, remain significant obstacles to the progress and survival of Nigeria’s higher education system.
