The Federal Government and the Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, have concluded the renegotiation of the 2009 FGN–ASUU Agreement, bringing to an end years of protracted talks over funding, staff welfare, and governance in Nigeria’s public universities.
ASUU, in an update posted on its Facebook page on Wednesday, said the new agreement was reached on December 23, 2025, and is scheduled to take effect from January 1, 2026.
The Union said the agreement is expected to run for an initial period of three years, after which it will be reviewed by both parties.
Central to the agreement is a 40 per cent salary increase for academic staff across federal universities, representing one of the most significant adjustments to university remuneration in recent years.
The deal also provides for improved pension benefits, with Professors entitled to earn pensions equivalent to their annual salaries upon retirement at the statutory age of 70.
The agreement which is aimed at strengthening teaching, learning, and research introduces a new funding framework for universities.
This includes dedicated allocations for research activities, libraries, laboratories, equipment, and staff development.
The framework is designed to address long-standing infrastructural and capacity deficits in the public university system.
The agreement further proposes the establishment of a National Research Council, NRC, to coordinate and fund research nationwide.
Under the proposal, the NRC will be financed with at least one per cent of Nigeria’s Gross Domestic Product, GDP, a provision ASUU says is critical to repositioning Nigerian universities as drivers of innovation and national development.
On governance, the pact strengthens university autonomy and academic freedom, while reforming academic leadership structures.
According to the agreement, deans and provosts are to be elected rather than appointed, with eligibility restricted to Professors. According to ASUU, this measure is intended to promote merit-based leadership, accountability, and academic integrity within institutions.
Both parties also agreed to a non-victimisation clause, guaranteeing that no academic staff member will be penalised for participating in previous industrial actions related to the renegotiation process.
Reacting to the development, ASUU leadership described the conclusion of the talks as a significant milestone, while calling on the Federal Government to ensure full and timely implementation of all provisions of the agreement.
The union also urged the government to extend similar negotiations to other university-based unions to promote stability across the tertiary education sector.
