ASUU-FG renegotiation of 2009 MoU reaches consensus to be enforced in 2026

The federal government has reached a tentative agreement with the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) around the renegotiation of the 2009 agreement on service conditions.

ASUU has been at loggerheads with the government since 2009, the union’s updated demands now drafted in a renegotiation agreement.

The action items include demands for the payment of withheld salaries and sustainable funding for the revitalisation of public universities.

Others include the payment of outstanding 25-35% salary arrears, the payment of over four years of promotion arrears, and the release of withheld third-party deductions, such as cooperative contributions and union check-off dues.

The union also called for an end to the victimisation of lecturers in some universities. 

In the new agreement, the federal government promised a 40 percent increase in salaries and the establishment of a National Research Council (NRC) with statutory funding of at least 1 percent of Nigeria’s GDP.

The agreement also included professors earning a pension equivalent to their annual salary at retirement, with a retirement age of 70.

The government also promised greater university autonomy and academic freedom, as well as better funding for universities, with allocations for research, libraries, and laboratories.

Chris Piwuna, the ASUU president, confirmed the development with TheCable on Friday.

Piwuna said the union expect the current administration to be intentional about this new agreement.

The ASUU president said the union have demonstrated enough patience with the government.

He urged the government to stand by its agreed January 26 date of implementation,

“We reached an agreement with the government, and we expect this government to show a difference from previous administrations that had no fidelity to their words,” he said.

“MoU, MoAs and several aspects of past agreements were never honoured. Our members have demonstrated patience with the ruling class.

“They agreed to January 2026 as the commencement date of this agreement. Please do not start the new year by breaking agreements with excuses, is our advice to the Tinubu government.

“Let us keep the system running. We have achieved stability through strategic patience. Don’t take us back in reverse gear.”

Piwuna added that the union will also hold a meeting with the minister of education in the new year.