The Federal Government of Nigeria has officially begun the implementation of the renegotiated 2025 agreement with the Academic Staff Union of Universities, fulfilling a key promise to increase the allowances of academic staff by 40 per cent. This move, which became effective on January 1, 2026, aims to stabilise the public university system and boost the morale of lecturers who have long protested stagnant wages and poor working conditions.
Minister of Education Dr. Maruf Tunji Alausa confirmed the development on Monday, February 9, 2026, stating that the government has fulfilled its obligation to implement the 40 percent increase in the Consolidated Academic Allowance for all eligible members of the union. He noted that the funds had already been captured in the 2026 National Budget and circularised by the National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission to ensure immediate compliance.
"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 January 1, 2026, in line with the agreement reached with the union," Dr Alausa stated in an official release signed by the Ministry's Director of Press and Public Relations, Folasade Boriowo. He added that the government has the necessary funding to sustain the new wage structure, which was a primary concern during the long-running negotiations.
The implementation includes the rollout of the Consolidated Academic Tools Allowance, a specialised fund designed to cover the costs of research, journal publications, and professional materials. Under this new framework, full-time Professors are set to receive an annual tools allowance of approximately ₦3.79 million, while other ranks such as Senior Lecturers and Graduate Assistants will receive ₦2.41 million and ₦1.04 million, respectively.
In addition to the general 40 per cent increase, the government has introduced a specific Professorial Cadre Allowance to recognise the administrative and scholarly responsibilities of senior academics. This provision grants full-time Professors an additional ₦1.74 million annually, or roughly ₦140,000 per month, while Readers will receive ₦840,000 per annum. The Minister emphasised that these interventions are structural and transformative rather than cosmetic.
Several federal universities have already reported that the approved increments were reflected in their most recent salary payments. To ensure no staff member is left out, the Ministry of Education has formally directed all Vice-Chancellors to cascade the approved increments across their institutions and integrate them fully into their payroll structures. This directive aims to harmonise the payment process across the country and prevent local delays.
The agreement also restructures nine duty-based Earned Academic Allowances, tying payments strictly to specific academic responsibilities such as postgraduate supervision and industrial training. For example, supervision allowances for Professors and Readers have been doubled from ₦25,000 to ₦50,000 per student. These changes are intended to provide transparency and ensure that lecturers are compensated fairly for their additional workloads.
"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," Dr Alausa remarked. The government reiterated its commitment to the "Renewed Hope" agenda, pledging that the era of prolonged industrial actions is over as long as both parties adhere to the terms of the 2025 pact.