The Federal Government has commenced the implementation of key components of the agreement reached with the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), ahead of the formal signing ceremony scheduled for Wednesday, January 14, 2026.
The agreement, reached on December 23, 2025, ended a 16-year stalemate between the government and the union over improved welfare and funding conditions for Nigerian academics.
Allowances Take Effect January 1
A letter issued by the National Salaries, Income and Wages Commission (NSIWC) has directed relevant Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) to immediately begin implementing the revised allowance structure for academic staff.
Signed by the Commission’s Chairperson, Ekpo Nta, the letter was addressed to the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, the Ministry of Finance and the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation.
The directive confirms that the Federal Government has approved the revised remuneration and ordered that implementation take effect from January 1, 2026.
New Allowance Structure
Under the new agreement, academics are now entitled to significantly improved Consolidated Academic Tools Allowances (CATA), secretarial allowances and Earned Academic Allowances (EAA).
The annual CATA ranges from ₦952,412 for Graduate Assistants to ₦3,790,676 for full Professors. Professors will also receive ₦1.74 million annually for secretarial assistance, while Readers are entitled to ₦840,000 annually.
Earned Academic Allowances cover payments for postgraduate supervision, industrial training supervision, teaching practice, oral examination honorarium, responsibility allowances, study grants and excess workload.
These allowances, which were part of the 2009 ASUU-FG agreement, had been a major point of contention, with ASUU repeatedly accusing successive governments of failing to release and review them as previously agreed.
40% Salary Increase, New Research Council
The broader agreement also provides for a 40 per cent salary increase for academic staff, the establishment of a National Research Council (NRC) with statutory funding of at least one per cent of Nigeria’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP), and improved retirement benefits.
Under the new terms, professors are now entitled to a pension equivalent to their annual salary upon retirement at the age of 70.
ASUU Expresses Cautious Optimism
ASUU President, Prof. Chris Piwuna, has expressed optimism that the current administration will honour the agreement.
“We reached an agreement with the government, and we expect this government to show a difference from previous administrations that had no fidelity to their words,” he said.
The Ministry of Education is expected to formally sign the agreement with ASUU at a ceremony in Abuja on Wednesday.
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