The Federal Government has approved a 40 per cent salary increase for lecturers in federal tertiary institutions and introduced a new professorial cadre allowance that will grant university professors a monthly top-up of more than ₦140,000.
The Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, disclosed this on Wednesday during an appearance on Politics Today on Channels Television.
Earlier the same day, the Federal Government and the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) reached a landmark agreement in 2025, ending a 16-year stalemate over the renegotiation of the 2009 FGN–ASUU agreement. The deal is expected to improve staff welfare, boost funding, and enhance stability within Nigeria’s university system.
The agreement was formally presented in Abuja by Alausa, who described it as a major breakthrough for the tertiary education sector and a demonstration of President Bola Tinubu’s commitment to providing quality, accessible, and uninterrupted university education.
According to the minister, the agreement clearly defines and restructures nine enhanced Earned Academic Allowances.
“A professor will now receive a monthly top-up of over ₦140,000, as President Tinubu has approved a new category of allowance for academic staff known as the professorial cadre allowance,” Alausa said. “This is an enhanced additional package.”
He added that funding is now in place to support both the 40 per cent salary increase for lecturers across federal institutions and the newly structured allowances.
Alausa assured stakeholders that the agreement would be fully implemented, stressing that the true value of any agreement lies in its execution rather than its signing.
“Implementation had already begun even before today,” he said. “The Chairman of the National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission and the President worked extensively between December 20, 29, and 30 to ensure that the circular backing the workers’ welfare component of the agreement was issued. That circular has now been released.”
He further revealed that President Tinubu was firm during negotiations, insisting that no agreement would be signed without guaranteed funding.
“The President made it clear that he would not approve an agreement he could not implement,” Alausa stated. “Once he was fully convinced that the funding was available, he gave his approval.”
He noted that implementation has commenced with ASUU, adding that the nine enhanced Earned Academic Allowances are now well structured, with clear guidelines on eligibility, payment purpose, and cost.