The Federal Government and the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) have finally concluded the long-running renegotiation of the 2009 FGN–ASUU Agreement, marking a major breakthrough after years of disputes over lecturers’ welfare and public university funding.
ASUU disclosed the development in a statement published on its official Facebook page on Wednesday, confirming that the new agreement was reached on December 23, 2025, after prolonged negotiations between both parties.
According to the union, the agreement is scheduled to take effect from January 1, 2026, and will be subject to review after three years.
Under the new deal, academic staff in federal universities will receive a 40 per cent salary increase, alongside improved pension benefits. Professors are expected to earn pensions equivalent to their annual salaries upon retirement at the statutory age of 70.
The agreement also introduces a revised funding framework for public universities, with specific allocations for research, libraries, laboratories, equipment and staff development.
As part of efforts to strengthen research output, the deal proposes the establishment of a National Research Council to fund academic research with at least one per cent of Nigeria’s Gross Domestic Product.
Other key 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 staff member will be victimised for participating in previous industrial actions.