The Federal Government has concluded arrangements to formally execute a proposed 40 per cent salary increase for academic staff, with a signing ceremony scheduled between the government and the Academic Staff Union of Universities.
A circular issued by the Federal Ministry of Education invited Vice-Chancellors and Registrars of all federal universities to attend the agreement-signing ceremony, which will take place on Wednesday, January 14, 2026, at 11:00 a.m. at the Conference Hall of the Tertiary Education Trust Fund in Abuja.
The document, dated January 5, 2026, and referenced FME/IS/UNI/ASUU/C.11/Vol.V/82, was signed by the Director of University Education, Rakiya Ilyasu, on behalf of the Minister of Education.
According to the ministry, the signing marks a significant step toward restoring industrial harmony in Nigeria’s university system, improving teaching and learning conditions, and strengthening the Federal Government’s commitment to sustainable development in the education sector. The initiative aligns with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
The circular stressed that attendance is mandatory for all invited Vice-Chancellors and Registrars, highlighting the importance the government places on both the agreement and its implementation.
“The event signifies a critical milestone in promoting industrial harmony, enhancing teaching and learning conditions in Nigerian universities, and reaffirming the Federal Government’s commitment to the sustainable development of the education sector, in furtherance of Mr President’s Renewed Hope Agenda,” the circular stated.
Last month, The Guardian reported that the long-running industrial crisis stemming from the 2009 Federal Government–ASUU Agreement was nearing resolution, following ASUU’s acceptance of the Federal Government’s proposed 40 per cent pay increase for academic staff.
ASUU confirmed that it reached a fresh agreement with the Federal Government on December 23, 2025, effectively concluding the renegotiation of the 2009 agreement after more than 16 years of disputes.
Under the new terms, professors will earn pensions equivalent to their annual salaries upon retirement at age 70, while a proposed National Research Council will fund research with at least one per cent of Nigeria’s Gross Domestic Product. The agreement takes effect from January 1, 2026, and is expected to be reviewed after three years.
The agreement also provides for improved university funding, stronger institutional autonomy, enhanced academic freedom, and elected academic leadership positions restricted to professors. It further guarantees that no academic staff involved in past industrial actions will face victimisation.
ASUU has urged the Federal Government to implement the agreement without delay and extend negotiations to other university unions to ensure lasting stability across the university system.
The 2009 Federal Government–ASUU Agreement has remained a major source of industrial tension for over a decade, largely due to repeated failures to fully implement its provisions, making the new agreement a potentially defining moment for Nigeria’s higher education sector.
