The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) and the Federal Government have have reached a new agreement which will take effect from January 1, 2026.
ASUU announced this on its official Facebook page on Wednesday, adding that the agreement was reached on December 23, 2025, after prolonged negotiations.
It said the new deal which will be reviewed every three years, will lead to improved welfare for university lecturers and enhanced funding for public universities.
ASUU said the renegotiated accord provides for a 40 per cent salary increase for academic staff and significantly improved pension benefits.
With the new deal, professors will earn pensions equivalent to their annual salary upon retirement at the age of 70, just as it also
introduced a new funding framework for public universities, with dedicated allocations for research, libraries, laboratories, equipment, and staff development.
Under the new agreement, a National Research Council is will be set up to support research activities, with funding set at a minimum of one per cent of Nigeria’s Gross Domestic Product.
Other points in the deal include strengthened university autonomy and academic freedom, the election of academic leaders such as deans and provosts—restricted to professors—and assurances that no individual will be victimised for participating in past industrial actions.
ASUU appealed to the Federal Government to ensure the prompt implementation of the agreement and to extend negotiations to other university unions to promote stability in the university system.
