By Daniel Oluwatobiloba Popoola
The Federal Government has commenced the implementation of key welfare components of its renegotiated agreement with the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), including a 40 per cent upward review of salary-related allowances for academic staff in federal universities.
The development was confirmed on Monday, 9 February, 2026 in a statement by the Director of Press and Public Relations of the Federal Ministry of Education, Boriowo Folasade.
According to the Ministry, the implementation, which takes effect from Thursday, 1 January, 2026, underscores President Bola Tinubu’s commitment to honouring agreements with education stakeholders and sustaining industrial harmony across public universities.
Announcing the rollout, the Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, said the Federal Government had begun implementing the 40 per cent increase in the Consolidated Academic Allowance (CAA) for ASUU members. He disclosed that some federal universities had already reflected the approved increment in their salary payments.
To ensure consistency, the ministry said all federal universities were being formally notified to integrate the increment into their payroll systems.
“The Honourable Minister of Education, Dr Maruf Alausa, has announced that the Federal Government has fulfilled its obligation to implement the 40 per cent increase in the Consolidated Academic Allowance for ASUU members, with effect from 1st January 2026, in line with the agreement reached with the union,” the statement read.
It further noted that, “some federal universities have already begun reflecting the approved increase in their salary payments,” adding that institutions had been directed to fully cascade the increment across their systems so that all eligible academic staff benefit.
Meanwhile, Alausa directed Vice Chancellors to ensure strict adherence to the approved framework for implementing the Consolidated Academic Tools Allowance (CATA). In doing so, he emphasised prudent financial management, urging university heads “to make judicious use of available resources to ensure the successful rollout of the allowance.”
Clarifying funding arrangements, the minister said the payment had already been captured and circularised by the National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission (NSIWC), noting that its inclusion in the 2026 budget was “a formal statutory process.”
He therefore called on university managements to take proactive steps to facilitate prompt payment in line with NSIWC guidelines.
According to him, “timely implementation of both the CAA increase and CATA will strengthen the academic environment, enhance staff morale, and support improved outcomes in teaching, research, and learning across Nigerian universities.”
Reiterating its position, the Federal Government affirmed its resolve to honour agreements with education sector stakeholders, while maintaining a commitment to constructive engagement, transparency and the continuous improvement of quality education nationwide.
Last month, the Federal Government and ASUU unveiled a renegotiated agreement aimed at resolving long-standing disputes in the tertiary education sector. The 2025 agreement concluded a renegotiation process that began in 2017 to review the 2009 FG–ASUU pact, which was due for revision in 2012.
Previous renegotiation efforts under committees chaired by Wale Babalakin, Munzali Jibrin and Nimi Briggs failed to produce a final agreement. However, a breakthrough emerged under the current administration, which inaugurated the Yayale Ahmed-led renegotiation committee in October 2024.
After about 14 months of negotiations, the parties reached a deal focused on improved conditions of service, funding, university autonomy, academic freedom and broader reforms to reverse sectoral decay, curb brain drain and reposition universities for national development.
A major highlight of the agreement is the 40 per cent upward review of remuneration for academic staff in federal universities, effective from January 1, 2026. Under the new pay structure, salaries comprise the Consolidated University Academic Staff Salary and a Consolidated Academic Tools Allowance, which accounts for the increment.
The tools allowance is intended to support core academic activities, including research, journal publications, conference participation, internet access, learned society membership and book procurement, with the broader aim of boosting productivity and retaining talent.
In addition, the agreement restructures nine earned academic allowances to promote transparency and fairness by linking payments strictly to duties performed, such as postgraduate supervision, fieldwork, clinical responsibilities, examination duties and leadership roles.
Furthermore, the Federal Government approved a new Professorial Cadre Allowance for the first time. Under the provision, full-time Professors will receive ₦1.74 million annually, while Readers will earn ₦840,000 per annum an intervention the government described as a structural and transformative measure to recognise experience, enhance dignity and strengthen the academic profession.
