FG, ASUU Sign 2025 Agreement to Secure Stability in Public Universities

The Federal Government of Nigeria and the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) have formally unveiled and signed the renegotiated 2025 Agreement, marking a significant step toward restoring stability, strengthening industrial harmony, and repositioning the nation’s public university system.

The agreement was unveiled at a high-level ceremony in Abuja attended by key stakeholders from government, labour unions, the legislature, and the academic community. The event underscored renewed national commitment to dialogue-driven reforms and sustainable development in higher education.

Speaking at the ceremony, the Honourable Minister of Education, Dr. Maruf Tunji Alausa, CON, described the agreement as a concrete expression of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda. He stated that the framework is designed to curb recurrent industrial disputes, guarantee uninterrupted academic calendars, and align Nigeria’s university system with global standards. According to him, the agreement is the first to comprehensively integrate all critical components required for a functional and competitive university system into a single, coherent document.

A major feature of the agreement is a 40 per cent upward review of academic staff emoluments, effective from January 1, 2026, as approved by the National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission. The review will be implemented through the Consolidated Academic Tools Allowance, which covers research publications, conferences, internet services, professional memberships, and books. The agreement also introduces a Professorial Credit Allowance of ₦1.8 million annually for professors, while readers will receive between ₦840,000 and ₦870,000. In addition, academic allowances have been restructured and are now tied strictly to duties performed.

The Minister of State for Education, Prof. Suwaiba Sa’id Ahmad, described the agreement as a renewed covenant founded on dialogue, mutual respect, and shared responsibility. She noted that sustained engagement and faithful implementation would be critical to achieving lasting peace in the university system.

Other speakers, including the Minister of Labour and Employment, members of the National Assembly, and ASUU leadership, commended the amicable resolution of long-standing issues and called for full compliance with the provisions of the agreement.

The Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Education, Mr. Abel Olamuyiwa Enitan, reaffirmed the Ministry’s commitment to ensuring effective and timely implementation of all aspects of the agreement.

The 2025 FG–ASUU Agreement is being widely regarded as a landmark intervention, offering renewed hope for a stable, competitive, and globally relevant Nigerian public university system.