The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) and the Federal Government have successfully concluded the long-awaited renegotiation of the 2009 FGN–ASUU Agreement, ending years of disputes over academics’ welfare and funding for public universities
ASUU confirmed the development in a statement posted on its official Facebook page on Wednesday, announcing that the new agreement will take effect from January 1, 2026, with a scheduled review after three years.
The union revealed that the agreement was finalized on December 23, 2025, following extensive discussions between both parties. “After years of delays, negotiations, and struggles, ASUU has officially reached a new agreement with the Federal Government on December 23, 2025, concluding the renegotiation of the 2009 FGN–ASUU Agreement,” the statement read.
Key provisions of the agreement include a 40 per cent salary increase for academic staff in Nigerian public universities and substantial improvements to pension benefits. Professors retiring at the age of 70 will now receive a pension equivalent to their annual salary.
The agreement also establishes a new university funding model with dedicated allocations for research, libraries, laboratories, equipment, and staff development. A National Research Council is proposed to oversee research funding, with a commitment to allocate at least one per cent of Nigeria’s Gross Domestic Product to research activities.
Other measures include strengthened university autonomy and academic freedom, the election of academic leaders such as Deans and Provosts restricted to professors, and a guarantee that no academic will face victimization for participating in past industrial actions.
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