FG approves ₦1.8m yearly allowance for Professors in landmark deal with ASUU

The Federal Government has approved new annual allowances, granting full-time professors in Nigerian universities an additional ₦1.8 million each year, while full-time readers will receive an extra ₦870,000 annually.

These allowances form part of a comprehensive new agreement signed between the Federal Government and the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), marking a major overhaul of the academic remuneration and welfare framework after nearly 17 years of disputes.

Unveiled by the Minister of Education, Tunji Alausa, the agreement includes a 40 per cent upward review of total emoluments for academic staff in federal universities, effective from January 1, 2026, following approval by the National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission.

The minister stated that the review aims to improve staff morale, strengthen teaching and research quality, enhance global competitiveness, and address the persistent brain drain in Nigeria’s university system.

Under the new structure, the Consolidated University Academic Staff Salary (CONUASS) has been revised and merged with a newly consolidated Academic Tools Allowance. This tools allowance is designed to cover professional expenses such as journal publications, conference participation, internet access, books, and membership in learned societies.

The agreement also restructures Earned Academic Allowances into nine clearly defined categories, with payments strictly tied to duties performed. These include allowances for postgraduate supervision, fieldwork, clinical responsibilities, examination duties, moderation, and academic leadership roles.

Furthermore, the government approved a dedicated Professorial Cadre Allowance for senior academics, applicable to full-time professors and readers. Officials stated this allowance recognizes the expanded research, administrative, and mentoring responsibilities of senior academics and is intended to support research coordination, documentation, and academic administration.

Alausa described the agreement as a decisive step toward ending recurring industrial unrest in the university system, noting that negotiations over salaries and welfare had dragged on since 2009, repeatedly disrupting academic calendars.

The minister affirmed the government’s commitment to the full implementation of the agreement and sustained engagement with ASUU, adding that the deal establishes a more transparent, work-based, and sustainable compensation framework for university academics.

About The Author

Dele Fashomi

Dele Fashomi, seasoned journalist and communication teacher, is a holder of Master of Arts degree in Communication and Language Arts from the University of Ibadan in 1992/93.

Earlier, he had bagged a Bachelor degree from the same university in 1984, after which he proceeded to the Nigerian Institute of Journalism, Lagos, in 1990, for a postgraduate diploma in Journalism.

He had done many courses in communication, including the EU-BBC Editing Course in 2002.

Mr. Fashomi combines effectively the practice, research and teaching of communication. And to date, he has published two academic works in communication: Issues in Communication Technology and Policy (2010) and Economic and Social Issues in Advertising and PR (2013).

He had his first break in the Nigerian media in Concord Newspapers in 1990 and today, he has over two and half decades experience earned in several newspapers.

He has been part of many start-ups, such as The Republic (1987), The Comet (1999), The Anchor 2001 – 2002; Sun Newspapers (2003); Westerner newsmagazine (2005 – 2010) as Editor; National Life (2011) as Sunday Editor, and Newswatch Newspapers (2012- 2016) as Daily Editor.

Dele Fashomi is now the Publisher/Editor-in-Chief of Newstide247.com newspaper online, which he started in July 2015. He is also into biography writing, with many books in his trail, some of which he wrote alone and one he co- authored with his mentor, Mr Dare Babarinsa, entitled:  Olabiyi Durojaiye – DARE TO BE DiFFERENT. He also guided and collaborated with Pa Olatunji Odusanya in writing his autobiography – AGAINST ALL ODDS. There are many other books in the works under his pen.

See author's posts