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• Mismanagement, governance gaps undermining Nigerian universities –Union
From Fred Ezeh, Abuja
The Federal Government and the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) have ended the nearly two decades of industrial rift with a new agreement that covered several areas of interest to all parties.
The new agreement unveiled in Abuja, yesterday, was witnessed by the Ministers of Education, Labour and Employment alongside their Permanent Secretaries; Heads of Tertiary Institutions, Head of Agencies and Parastatals in the Ministry of Education, Members of the National Assembly, officials of the National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission (NSIWC) as well of ASUU officials led by the President, Prof. Chris Piwuna.
The agreement provides for the review of the remuneration package of academic staff in Federal Tertiary Institutions as approved by the NSIWC with effect from January 1, 2026.
Other key components of the agreement is the emolument of university academics that was reviewed upward by 40 percent. This was designed to enhance morale, improve quality of service delivery and global competitiveness of Nigerian tertiary educational institutions, while reversing brain drain.
There is also the review of the Consolidated University Academic Staff Salary (CONUASS) and Consolidated Academic Tools Allowance (CATA). Meanwhile, the 40 percent review will be represented by consolidated academic tools’ allowance, and it’s peculiar to university academic staff.
It also noted that the CATA covers journal publications, conference participation, internet access, learned society membership, and book allowances, which are critical tools required for effective teaching, research, and global academic competitiveness.
On the Earned Academic Allowances (EAA), the agreement noted that the allowances, nine in number, have been clearly structured, transparently earned, and strictly tied to duties performed, thereby promoting productivity, accountability, and fairness.
The allowances also consist of enhanced provisions for postgraduate supervision, field work, clinical duties, moderation, examination responsibilities, and leadership roles within the tertiary education system.
Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, in his speech at the event, announced the introduction of a Professorial Cadre Allowance as a defining feature of the new agreement, that directly responds to the daily operational realities of the senior academics.
He said the agreement reflected the commitment of President Bola Tinubu to accessible, quality and uninterrupted academic calendars.
According to the minister, the President took personal ownership of resolving long-standing disputes that had affected the university system for decades.
”For decades, unresolved remuneration concerns, welfare gaps, and recurring industrial disputes disrupted academic calendars, undermined staff morale, and threatened the future of our young people.
”Under the leadership of President Bola Tinubu, we deliberately chose dialogue over discord, reform over delay, and resolution over rhetoric.”
He explained that a key provision of the agreement was the review of the remuneration package of academic staff in federal tertiary institutions, as approved by the National Salaries, Income and Wages Commission, with effect from January 1, 2026.
He said the emoluments of university academic staff had been reviewed upward by 40 percent to improve morale, enhance service delivery, boost global competitiveness and curb brain drain.
According to him, the 40 percent review is represented through a consolidated academic tools allowance, which is peculiar to university academic staff and forms part of the salary structure.
The minister said the consolidated academic tools allowance would cover journal publications, conference participation, internet access, learned society membership and book allowances.
This, he described as essential for effective teaching, research and global academic competitiveness.
He added that nine hitherto earned academic allowances had been clearly structured, made transparent and tied strictly to duties performed to promote productivity, accountability and fairness.
He also announced the introduction of a new professorial credit allowance, describing it as the first of its kind approved by the federal government.
According to him, the allowance applies strictly to full-time professors and academic readers in universities, in recognition of their heavy scholarly, administrative and research responsibilities.
He explained that under the new structure, professors would receive an additional N1.8 million per annum, amounting to about N140,000 monthly, while academic readers would receive N840,000 per annum or N70,000 monthly.
The minister said the allowance was designed to support research coordination, academic documentation, correspondence and administrative efficiency, enabling senior academics to focus more on teaching, mentorship, innovation and knowledge production.
The minister said government had already commenced implementation of the agreement, noting that a circular directing the full implementation of the wages component had been issued by the NSIWC.
According to him, the circular, dated December 30, 2025, was released to ensure the agreement took effect from January 1, 2026, in line with the government’s commitment.
Meanwhile, ASUU has raised concerns over alleged mismanagement of funds and governance weaknesses in some universities across the country.
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Prof. Pinuwa warned that the situation was undermining accountability, stability and academic standards in the system.
He noted that weak governance structures had continued to affect effective utilisation of resources in some institutions.
The ASUU president said although university autonomy was recognised in principle and partially entrenched in the law, its practical implementation remained weak, leading to persistent external interference in university administration.
According to him, arbitrary dissolution of governing councils and interference in the appointment of vice-chancellors have become recurring challenges which undermine meritocracy and erode institutional stability.
Pinuwa noted that such interventions had often resulted in conflicts, litigation and staff polarisation within universities, thereby disrupting academic activities and effective management.
He also expressed concerns over what he described as the creeping culture of prolonged acting vice-chancellorship in universities, calling for greater scrutiny of governing councils and principal officers to safeguard institutional integrity.
On research funding, the ASUU president said adequate funding was critical to the relevance and global competitiveness of Nigerian universities.
He added that research and development funding formed a key component of the 2025 re-negotiated agreement with the federal government.
“Nigerian universities have faced paucity of research funding for a very long time, and I’m glad that research and development funding is a component of the 2025 ASUU-FG re-negotiated agreement.
“It was agreed that the National Research Council (NRC) Bill shall be forwarded to the National Assembly for consideration.
“The proposed bill shall provide for at least one per cent equivalent of GDP as a source of funding for research, innovation and development.
“It is my belief that, as stakeholders, members of the National Assembly will expedite action in the passage of the bill.”
Prof. Pinuwa recalled that the 2009 agreement, which was due for renegotiation in 2012, experienced prolonged delays.
Pinuwa said the 2025 agreement was the outcome of a renegotiation process initiated in 2017 to revitalise Nigeria’s university system.
According to him, several renegotiation committees were constituted between 2017 and 2022 under successive administrations, including those chaired by Wale Babalakin, Munzali Jibrin and Nimi Briggs, but none produced a collective bargaining agreement.
He said the current administration inaugurated a new renegotiation committee chaired by Alhaji Yayale Ahmed in October 2024, noting that an agreement was reached about 14 months later.
He said the agreement focused on conditions of service, funding, university autonomy and academic freedom as well as other systemic reforms aimed at reversing decay, curbing brain drain and repositioning universities for national development.
He commended Ahmed and members of the renegotiation team, Alausa and President Bola Tinubu for their commitment to concluding the renegotiation process.
While expressing satisfaction with the successful collective bargaining process, Pinuwa said there were still unresolved issues affecting the university system, particularly persistent government interference in university autonomy.
“As we are here with joy for a successful collective bargaining between ASUU and the federal government, we need to note that there are still pending issues, which are more of internal.
“This issue is dragging the progress and survival of the university system: government persistent encroachment into the autonomy of the universities.
”University autonomy is universally recognised as a cornerstone of a functional higher education system.
”In Nigeria, although university autonomy is recognised in principle and partially entrenched in law, its practical implementation remains weak,” he said.
The ASUU president also criticised promotion practices in some newly-established federal universities of education, alleging that due process and established standards for professorial appointments were being compromised.
According to him, the conversion of colleges of education to universities should not erode established academic standards.
Consequently, Pinuwa called on vice-chancellors of the affected institutions to urgently review such promotions to protect the integrity of the university system.
