The Federal Government and the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) have concluded negotiations on a new salary structure for academic staff, marking a major shift in remuneration and policy direction for the nation’s public universities.
According to details of the agreement obtained, the new structure reflects a 40 per cent upward review across academic ranks, effective from August 2025.
Under the revised arrangement, Graduate Assistants on Grade Level 07—who currently earn between N170,000 and N220,000 monthly, including allowances—will now receive between N238,000 and N308,000. Lecturer II staff will earn between N350,000 and N420,000, up from the existing band of N250,000 to N300,000.
Lecturer I academics, previously on N350,000 to N400,000 per month, will now take home between N490,000 and N560,000. Senior Lecturers will earn between N728,000 and N798,000, reflecting an increase from the earlier range of N520,000 to N570,000.
Professors, the highest-paid category in the university system, will now receive between N1,190,000 and N1,330,000 monthly, up from the former N850,000 to N950,000 range.
Other Agreements
The new salary framework is part of a broader set of agreements reached between both parties after months of negotiations.
One key provision is the government’s decision to peg earned academic allowances at 12 per cent of each university’s total annual academic salary expenditure. The model aligns with structures already in place in some state-owned universities.
On university autonomy, both sides reaffirmed their commitment to safeguarding the independence of institutions, including adherence to existing laws on appointments and governance.
The parties also agreed that future reviews of the agreement would be conducted every three years, replacing the open-ended negotiation cycles that have historically prolonged disputes between the government and the union.
In addition, long-term funding for tertiary education formed a major part of the discussions. According to the report, “It was agreed that the FGN and ASUU would sponsor Bills on new and innovative forms of taxes to guarantee sustainable funding of education. It was further agreed that the FGN will issue executive orders towards achieving the same purpose.”
On welfare, both parties resolved that any general increase in public sector salaries and allowances would automatically reflect in academic staff remuneration.
They further agreed that appointments into Governing Councils must continue to follow the Universities (Miscellaneous Provisions) (Amendment) Act 2003. The negotiation also condemned emerging practices in some states where indigenes of host communities insist on producing Vice-Chancellors, describing such demands as contrary to merit-based selection.
The agreements come amid heightened tension in the academic sector. Two weeks earlier, Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, stated that the Federal Government had already met most of ASUU’s demands, a position that sparked debate among stakeholders.
The implementation of the new salary structure and accompanying policy measures is expected to shape the future of public university administration and academic welfare in the coming years.
