The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) and the Federal Government have concluded the long-awaited renegotiation of the 2009 FGN–ASUU Agreement, bringing an end to years of protracted discussions over university funding and lecturers’ welfare.
ASUU disclosed the development in a statement shared on its official Facebook page on Wednesday, announcing that the new agreement was reached on December 23, 2025. The agreement is set to take effect from January 1, 2026, and will be reviewed after three years.
Under the revised agreement, academic staff in public universities will receive a 40 per cent salary increase, alongside significant improvements in pension benefits. Professors are to earn pensions 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. A National Research Council is proposed to fund research activities with at least one per cent of Nigeria’s Gross Domestic Product.
Additional provisions include enhanced university autonomy and academic freedom, the election of academic leaders such as Deans and Provosts from among professors, and assurances that no academic will be victimised for participating in past industrial actions.
