FG vs ASUU: 3 Years Lost to Strikes, Nigerian Lecturers Secure 40% Salary Increase in New Agreement, But Efficacy Remains Uncertain

Key points: 

1. 40% salary hike for academic staff from Jan 2026, with new CATA allowance for research, conferences, Professors get ₦1.7-1.8m yearly.
2. ‎Better pension, retirement at 70 with full salary, and increased funding & autonomy for universities.
3. ‎Elected academic leaders, no punishment for past strikes, and agreement reviewed every 3 years.
4. ‎ ‎Professor’s Annual Average Pay Gap: Nigeria’s ₦7m vs. SA’s ₦84m, Kenya’s ₦23m, Morocco’s ₦46m
5. Poor Pay, Poor Research: Nigerian Lecturers’ ₦5,000 per supervisor ‘Insult’
6. 3 Years Lost (36+): Nigeria’s Education on ASUU Strike in 15 years

By Emmanuel Kwada

After more than a decade and a half of rancorous negotiations, repeated industrial actions, and prolonged shutdowns of public universities, the Federal Government of Nigeria (FGN) and the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) on January 14, 2026, signed and unveiled a renegotiated agreement that both parties describe as “historic.” The deal, formally known as the 2025 FGN–ASUU Agreement, was signed at the TETFund Conference Hall in Abuja.

This marks the end of a 16-year impasse since the 2009 accord, promising to usher in an era of industrial harmony, curb the infamous brain drain, elevate university standards, and safeguard uninterrupted academic sessions. However, amid the fanfare, skepticism lingers: will this pact deliver lasting change, or merely defer another inevitable confrontation?

Implementation will be the true test; we’ve seen promises before.

The agreement arrives against a backdrop of chronic disruptions in Nigeria’s public higher education sector. Over the past 16 years, ASUU strikes have cumulatively halted academic activities for more than 36 months—equivalent to over three full years—inflicting irreparable harm on students, educators, and the nation’s intellectual capital.

With a 40% salary boost for lecturers effective from January 1, 2026, enhanced benefits, and structural reforms, the deal aims to address core grievances. Yet, as ASUU President Prof. Chris Piwuna cautioned during the unveiling, “Implementation will be the true test; we’ve seen promises before.”

This report delves into the agreement’s key provisions, drawing from official statements, stakeholder reactions, and historical context, while highlighting persistent challenges like inadequate research incentives and stark pay disparities across Africa. As Nigeria grapples with its educational crisis, the agreement’s success could redefine the sector—or expose enduring systemic flaws.

Minister of Education, Dr. Maruf Tunji Alausa; ASUU President, Prof. Chris Piwuna; and other officials during the signing of the agreement at the TETFund Conference Hall in Abuja.

Salary Increase & Allowances: A 40% Hike with New Tools for Academic Excellence

At the core of the 2025 FGN–ASUU Agreement is a substantial 40% upward adjustment in salaries and allowances for academic staff in federal tertiary institutions, retroactively effective from January 1, 2026.

This increase, implemented via the Consolidated University Academic Staff Salary (CONUASS) framework, represents the most significant financial uplift for Nigerian lecturers in over a decade. It addresses years of complaints about stagnant wages eroded by rampant inflation, which has skyrocketed living costs and diminished purchasing power.

Stakeholders hail this as a potential morale booster, with the government hoping it will stem the tide of brain drain and revitalize research output.

CATA is not just an allowance; it’s an investment in knowledge production, ensuring our universities compete globally.

However, questions linger over its efficacy, and even with the hike, Nigerian academics’ pay still lags far behind counterparts in other African nations like South Africa, Morocco, and Kenya, potentially undermining performance and failing to fully resolve entrenched issues like poor research incentives and talent exodus.

The hike is bolstered by the introduction of the Consolidated Academic Tools Allowance (CATA), a novel component designed to empower lecturers in their core duties. CATA encompasses support for research endeavors, journal publications, conference attendance, internet connectivity, memberships in learned societies, and book acquisitions. Previously, these essentials were often self-funded by academics, leading to widespread frustration and reduced productivity.

Minister of Education Dr. Maruf Tunji Alausa, speaking at the unveiling, emphasized that CATA “is not just an allowance; it’s an investment in knowledge production, ensuring our universities compete globally.”

Minister of Education Dr. Maruf Tunji Alausa.

For senior academics, the agreement introduces a Professorial Cadre Allowance, providing an annual boost of approximately ₦1.7–1.8 million for full professors. This equates to roughly ₦145,000 monthly, earmarked for research mentorship, documentation, and administrative responsibilities.

Academic readers (on CONUASS levels 6/7) will receive ₦840,000–₦870,000 yearly, fostering a tiered incentive system. Nine pre-existing earned academic allowances have been streamlined and linked directly to verifiable duties, promoting accountability and fairness.

Professor’s Annual Average Pay Gap: Nigeria’s ₦7m vs. SA’s ₦84m, Kenya’s ₦23m, Morocco’s ₦46m

Pre-2026 salary estimates painted a grim picture: entry-level lecturers earned ₦120,000–₦150,000 monthly, while professors topped out at ₦500,000–₦650,000 before deductions. Post-increase, averages are projected to rise to ₦300,000–₦500,000 across ranks, with professors potentially exceeding ₦800,000–₦1,200,000 including allowances, dwarfed by South Africa’s ₦84–168 million (ZAR 80,000–140,000 monthly, with generous benefits attracting top talent), Kenya’s ₦23–34 million (KES 170,000–250,000, emphasizing research bonuses), and Morocco’s ₦46–86 million (MAD 25,000–45,000, offering stability). Based on mid-2026 exchange rates (e.g., 1 USD ≈ ₦1,422), this disparity underscores differing economic priorities and conditions.

Nigerian academics contend that such undervaluation, amid challenges like power outages and resource scarcity, diminishes performance and fuels migration to these countries or beyond.

The agreement’s enhancements may narrow the divide slightly, but without achieving closer parity and holistic reforms, talent flight risks hollowing out faculties, leaving the government’s hopes for reduced brain drain and enhanced research unfulfilled.

Implementation hurdles, including bureaucratic delays and fiscal constraints, could further echo past failures, testing the deal’s ability to deliver transformative change.

₦5,000 stipend for supervising student projects.

The National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission (NSIWC) issued a circular on December 30, 2025, to facilitate seamless rollout, underscoring the government’s commitment under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.

Poor Pay, Poor Research: Nigerian Lecturers’ ₦5,000 per supervisor ‘Insult’

Yet, despite these gains, entrenched challenges persist, raising doubts about whether the pay rise will truly address lingering problems like subpar research and brain drain.

A stark example is the derisory ₦5,000 stipend for supervising student projects—an amount Lecturers has branded an “insult.” Lecturers often oversee multiple theses, investing extensive time in guidance, revisions, and evaluations, but this paltry sum barely covers basic expenses like transport or printing.

The result is demotivated supervisors offering minimal input, which encourages student plagiarism and shallow work, eroding research quality, skill development, and graduate employability.

A covenant to honor those who shape our future generations.

Rooted in outdated 2009 allowances and worsened by inflation, this highlights broader funding shortfalls. While CATA may ease some pressures, experts argue that without targeted increases for supervision and performance-linked incentives, poor research output will endure, perpetuating Nigeria’s lag in global innovation rankings and accelerating brain drain as lecturers seek better opportunities abroad.

Improved Benefits & Funding: Pensions, Retirement, and Institutional Autonomy

Beyond salaries, the agreement tackles holistic welfare and systemic funding deficits, aiming to create a sustainable ecosystem for higher education. A pivotal win for ASUU is the extension of retirement age to 70 for professors, coupled with pensions equivalent to their full annual salary—a demand unmet since the 2009 pact.

This provision seeks to retain seasoned expertise, combating brain drain where veteran scholars flee to better-resourced environments abroad. Prof. Suwaiba Sa’id Ahmad, Minister of State for Education and a former academic, described it as “a covenant to honor those who shape our future generations.”

Funding commitments form another cornerstone. The deal pledges enhanced allocations for universities, targeting libraries, laboratories, equipment upgrades, and staff development programs.

A proposed National Research Council, funded by at least 1% of Nigeria’s GDP, could revolutionize research capabilities, fostering innovation in fields like agriculture, technology, and health.

This aligns with global benchmarks where research investment drives economic growth, potentially elevating Nigerian institutions from their current low rankings in international indices.

University autonomy receives a significant boost, with reduced government interference and fortified protections for academic freedom. Institutions gain greater control over internal affairs, from budget management to curriculum design, addressing ASUU’s longstanding accusations of micromanagement that stifles creativity.

Over 36 months of strikes since 2009, crippling Nigeria’s education.

These measures, if enacted, could transform public universities into vibrant hubs of inquiry, rather than bureaucratic extensions of the state.

The agreement’s funding model draws praise for its ambition but faces scrutiny over feasibility. Nigeria’s education budget, historically below UNESCO’s 26% recommendation (hovering around 5–7%), must expand substantially.

Without ring-fenced allocations, critics fear these promises could falter amid competing national priorities like security and infrastructure.

Reforms & Governance: Elected Leaders, No Victimization, and Periodic Reviews

Governance overhaul is a key pillar, introducing democratic elements to university administration. Deans, provosts, and other leaders must now be elected from professorial ranks, ensuring decisions are made by those with deep academic insight rather than political appointees. This reform aims to dismantle patronage systems that have plagued institutions, fostering meritocracy and efficiency.

A “no victimization” clause protects staff and union members from reprisals for past strikes or negotiations, healing wounds from previous conflicts where lecturers faced dismissals or salary withholdings. This fosters trust, essential for sustained dialogue.

Crucially, the agreement mandates reviews every three years, preventing obsolescence like the 2009 deal’s fate. This adaptive mechanism allows adjustments for economic shifts, such as inflation or policy changes, potentially averting future strikes.

At the unveiling, representatives from the Yayale Ahmed-led renegotiation committee outlined these reforms as “a blueprint for stability.” Legislative leaders, including Senate Committee Chairman Muntari Yandutse, urged diligent implementation, warning that lapses could erode gains.

3 Years Lost (36+ Months): The Toll of ASUU Strikes Over 15 Years

The agreement’s backdrop is a harrowing history of disruptions: over 36 months of strikes since 2009, crippling Nigeria’s education. Key actions include 4 months in 2009 (over unimplemented pacts), 5+ months in 2010, 2 months in 2011, 5.5 months in 2013 (funding demands), 1 month in 2017, 3 months in 2018, 9 months in 2020 (IPPIS disputes), 8 months in 2022 (arrears and revitalization), and a 0.5-month warning in 2025.

These shutdowns extend degrees by years, delaying careers and inflating unemployment. Students endure psychological strain, turning to vices during idleness. Economic losses since 1999, with decaying infrastructure and eroded rankings compounding woes.

Parents face prolonged expenses, while society loses skilled graduates. The 2026 deal promises stability, but ASUU’s “cautious optimism” reflects fears of non-implementation triggering more strikes.

A Turning Point or Temporary Truce?

The 2025 FGN–ASUU Agreement offers hope after years of turmoil, with salary hikes, benefits, and reforms poised to revitalize universities. Yet, efficacy is uncertain—hinging on consistent funding, political will, and trust. As Prof. Piwuna noted, “No more strikes if promises hold.” For Nigeria’s youth, this could mark renewal; failure risks perpetuating a cycle of loss. A turning point or temporary truce? The nation watches as implementation unfolds.

It’s great to see the FGN and ASUU reach a landmark agreement on increased salaries and allowances, bringing an end to a 16-year impasse. Academics’ salaries and allowances will now increase by 40%. thank you @officialABAT, @DrTunjiAlausa pic.twitter.com/oCMCPPgaVg

— Kemi (@Stainlesz05) January 14, 2026

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