Federal Government and ASUU have concluded the renegotiation of the 2009 agreement, approving a 40% salary increase, improved pensions, and new funding for universities from 2026
FG, ASUU Seal New Agreement After 16 Years, Approve 40% Salary Increase
After more than a decade and a half of protracted negotiations, the Federal Government and the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) have finally concluded the renegotiation of the 2009 FGN–ASUU Agreement, effectively ending one of Nigeria’s longest industrial relations disputes in the education sector.
The breakthrough agreement was reached on December 23, 2025, and is scheduled to take effect from January 1, 2026, with a comprehensive review slated for after three years.
Confirming the development in an interview with LEADERSHIP newspaper on Wednesday, ASUU President, Professor Chris Piwuna, described the agreement as a landmark achievement borne out of years of persistence, sacrifice, and sustained engagement.
According to Piwuna, the revised agreement provides for a 40 per cent upward review of academic staff salaries, alongside significantly enhanced pension benefits, addressing some of the union’s most long-standing demands.
Under the new pension framework, professors will now retire at the age of 70 on pensions equivalent to their full annual salaries, subject to defined service requirements and recognition of approved service periods.
“Recall that our 2009 agreement was to be reviewed in 2012. That did not happen despite concerted efforts, negotiations, threats of strike and strike actions,” Piwuna said.
“Finally, the efforts of our past and present leadership and membership paid off. The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) reached an agreement with the Federal Government of Nigeria on December 23, 2025.”
He explained that the renegotiation process, which formally commenced in 2017, was aimed at revitalising Nigeria’s public university system and reversing years of infrastructural decay, poor funding, and academic brain drain.
The agreement introduces a new university funding model, featuring a revised budgeting template that recognises the peculiar needs of tertiary institutions. Dedicated funding allocations are to be made for research, libraries, laboratories, equipment, and staff development.
A major highlight of the deal is the proposed establishment of a National Research Council (NRC), which will fund research activities with not less than one per cent of Nigeria’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP), strengthen innovation, and support research universities and centres of excellence nationwide.
“On funding, the agreement proposes a new budgeting template recognising university peculiarities, with dedicated percentages for libraries, research, equipment, staff development, and laboratories,” Piwuna noted.
The agreement also strongly affirms university autonomy and academic freedom, placing emphasis on merit-based governance and elected academic leadership. Under the new framework, provosts and deans—particularly those heading postgraduate schools—will be elected, with eligibility restricted strictly to professors.
In addition, the agreement guarantees that no ASUU member will be victimised for their role in the prolonged struggle and renegotiation process.
“The agreement takes effect on January 1, 2026, and will be reviewed after three years. It guarantees that no individual shall be victimised for participating in the renegotiation process,” the ASUU president added.
Piwuna expressed optimism that the Federal Government would commence implementation promptly, commending the efforts of Mallam Yayale Ahmed (CFR) and other members of the Renegotiation Team for bringing closure to a process that had dragged on for over eight years.
He also praised the Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, for providing what he described as the “final push” needed to conclude the talks.
Furthermore, the ASUU leader urged the government to accelerate negotiations with other university-based unions, including the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU), Non-Academic Staff Union (NASU), and the National Association of Academic Technologists (NAAT), to ensure stability and fairness across the university system.
He acknowledged the solidarity of the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) throughout the struggle and thanked ASUU members nationwide for their patience, resilience, and unwavering commitment. Read More
