The Federal Government is set to formally sign a landmark agreement with the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) next week, which will implement a 40 per cent salary increase for academic staff across federal universities.
Ceremony Details and Mandatory Attendance
The official signing ceremony is scheduled for Wednesday, January 14, 2026, at 11:00 a.m. It will take place at the Conference Hall of the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) in Abuja. A circular from the Federal Ministry of Education, with reference number FME/IS/UNI/ASUU/C.11/Vol.V/82 and dated January 5, 2026, has summoned all Vice-Chancellors and Registrars of federal universities to attend. The directive, signed by Director of University Education Rakiya Ilyasu, states that attendance is mandatory, highlighting the event's critical importance.
The ministry framed the agreement as a pivotal move to foster industrial harmony within the university system and improve teaching and learning conditions. It also reaffirms the government's commitment to sustainable development in education, aligning with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu's Renewed Hope Agenda.
Key Provisions of the New Agreement
This development follows ASUU's formal acceptance of the government's offer last month, effectively concluding the renegotiation of the contentious 2009 FGN-ASUU Agreement. The new pact, which was reached on December 23, 2025, and takes effect from January 1, 2026, includes several groundbreaking provisions:
- Professors will receive a pension equivalent to their annual salary upon retirement at age 70.
- Establishment of a proposed National Research Council (NRC) to fund research with at least 1% of Nigeria's Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
- A revised university funding model with dedicated allocations for research, libraries, laboratories, equipment, and staff development.
- Strengthened university autonomy and academic freedom.
- Election of academic leadership (Deans and Provosts), with eligibility restricted to professors.
- A guarantee that no staff involved in the union's struggle will face victimisation.
The agreement is set to be reviewed after three years. ASUU has urged the government to implement the terms without delay and to extend similar negotiations to other university unions to ensure systemic stability.
End of a 16-Year Crisis
The 2009 agreement has been a persistent source of tension and industrial disputes between ASUU and successive governments for over a decade, leading to numerous strikes that disrupted academic calendars. The impending signing next Wednesday is therefore seen as a critical step toward resolving this 16-year industrial crisis that has plagued Nigeria's public university system.
This agreement represents a significant concession and a potential new chapter for labour relations in the nation's tertiary education sector, aiming to address long-standing grievances over welfare and funding.
