Abuja – The Federal Government and the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) are set to formalize an agreement aimed at restoring industrial harmony and improving the nation’s tertiary education system.
The signing ceremony is scheduled for Wednesday, January 14, 2026, at 11:00 a.m., at the Tertiary Education Trust Fund Conference Hall, Abuja.
The circular inviting Vice-Chancellors and Registrars of federal universities to witness the event was issued by the Ministry of Education on January 5, 2026, and signed by Rakiya Ilyasu, Director of University Education, on behalf of the Minister. Boriowo Folasade, the Ministry’s Director of Press and Public Relations, confirmed the development.
According to the circular, “This signing represents a critical milestone in promoting industrial harmony and improving teaching and learning in our universities. It also reaffirms the Federal Government’s commitment to the sustainable development of education in line with the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Tinubu.”
The agreement follows weeks of negotiations, culminating in ASUU’s acceptance of the Federal Government’s proposed 40 per cent salary increase for academic staff, effective January 1, 2026. The terms will be reviewed after three years.
Under the new pact, professors will receive a pension equivalent to their final annual salary upon retirement at age 70. The agreement also provides for the creation of a National Research Council, allocating at least one per cent of Nigeria’s Gross Domestic Product to fund research.
Other provisions include improved funding for libraries, laboratories, and staff development, enhanced university autonomy, and the election of academic leaders, with only professors eligible to serve as deans and provosts. The pact further guarantees that no staff member involved in previous industrial actions will face victimization.
The Ministry emphasized that attendance at the ceremony is mandatory for all invited university administrators, highlighting the importance of the agreement and its implementation.
I can also create a shorter, punchier version suitable for print front-page placement with strong opening lines if you want. Do you want me to do that?
