The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) and the Federal Government have concluded negotiations on the renegotiation of the 2009 agreement, with the revised terms set to take effect from January 1, 2026.
ASUU disclosed this in a statement published on its official Facebook page on Wednesday, noting that the agreement was finalised on December 23, 2025, after prolonged negotiations between both parties. The union said the agreement would be reviewed every three years.
According to ASUU, the renegotiated agreement prioritises improved welfare for university lecturers and enhanced funding for public universities. It provides for a 40 per cent increase in salaries for academic staff, alongside significantly improved pension benefits.
Under the new pension framework, professors are expected to earn retirement benefits equivalent to their annual salaries upon retirement at the age of 70.
The agreement also introduces a new funding model for public universities, with dedicated allocations for research, libraries, laboratories, equipment, and staff development. As part of this framework, a National Research Council is proposed to coordinate and support research activities, with funding pegged at a minimum of one per cent of Nigeria’s Gross Domestic Product.
Other provisions include strengthened university autonomy and academic freedom, the election of academic leaders such as deans and provosts exclusively from among professors, and guarantees that no academic staff member will be victimised for participating in past industrial actions.
ASUU urged the Federal Government to ensure the prompt and faithful implementation of the agreement, stressing that sustained commitment was necessary to restore stability and confidence in the university system. The union also called for the extension of negotiations to other university-based unions to ensure industrial harmony across the sector.
