FG Grants Professors Life Pension, Extends Maternity Leave for Female Lecturers

The Nigerian government and the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) have finalized a new agreement, introducing a significant professorial allowance and ending a 16-year cycle of negotiations.

Signed on December 23, 2025, this pact replaces the 2009 agreement and directly addresses longstanding points of contention. A key feature is the establishment of a new annual professorial allowance, set at ₦1.7 million for professors and ₦840,000 for readers (associate professors). The Minister of Education, Prof. Tunji Alausa, clarified that this is for full-time senior academics to support research coordination, documentation, and administrative duties.

“This allowance recognises the significant workload, administrative, scholarly, and research responsibilities borne by academics at these levels by virtue of their positions,” Alausa stated during the unveiling in Abuja on Wednesday.

Beyond the professorial cadre, the agreement includes a 40 per cent increment for all academic staff. This increase will be structured as a new Consolidated Academic Tools Allowance (CATA), covering expenses for publications, conferences, and other scholarly activities. The minister explained that nine specific allowances are now more transparently tied to actual duties performed, such as postgraduate supervision and examination responsibilities.

Minister Alausa expressed strong confidence that this agreement marks a turning point. He described it as “the death of incessant strikes” and a restoration of predictability for the academic calendar.

In response, ASUU President, Prof. Chris Piwuna, welcomed the development while emphasizing the importance of timely implementation. He expressed hope that the government would fulfill all aspects of the agreement as scheduled.