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FG, ASUU Sign Deal To End Historic University Strikes, Approve 40% Pay Rise For Lecturers
The Federal Government and the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) have signed a far-reaching agreement aimed at improving lecturers’ welfare, ensuring industrial harmony and ending decades of recurring disruptions in federal universities.
The landmark move is expected to reshape Nigeria’s tertiary education system.
The 2025 Federal Government-ASUU Agreement was unveiled on Wednesday in Abuja by the Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, who described the pact as a historic turning point capable of restoring trust and stability to the nation’s university system after years of strikes and academic uncertainty.
“This is more than the unveiling of a document. It symbolises renewed trust, restored confidence and a decisive turning point in the history of Nigeria’s tertiary education system,” Alausa said.
The education minister credited President Bola Ahmed Tinubu with taking what he described as an unprecedented step by directly confronting the prolonged crisis that had crippled public universities, disrupted academic calendars and dashed the hopes of millions of students.
“For the first time in our history, a sitting President confronted this challenge head-on and gave it the leadership attention it truly deserved,” Alausa said.
According to him, the administration deliberately chose “dialogue over discord, reform over delay, and resolution over rhetoric” in resolving the decades-old impasse between the government and university lecturers.
A major highlight of the agreement is the 40 per cent upward review of the emoluments of academic staff, approved by the National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission.
Alausa disclosed that the new salary structure would take effect from January 1, 2026.
Under the revised framework, lecturers’ pay will consist of the Consolidated University Academic Staff Salary and an enhanced Consolidated Academic Tools Allowance.
The strengthened CATA is designed to support journal publications, conference participation, internet access, professional memberships and book development, in line with global academic standards and efforts to curb brain drain.
The agreement also restructures nine Earned Academic Allowances, which the minister said are now clearly defined, transparently earned and directly tied to duties performed.
These include postgraduate supervision, fieldwork, clinical responsibilities, examination duties and academic leadership roles.
The move, according to stakeholders, is expected to improve accountability while rewarding productivity within the university system.
In another first for Nigeria’s university system, the Federal Government approved a Professorial Cadre Allowance for full-time Professors and Readers.
Under the scheme, Professors will receive ₦1.74m annually (₦140,000 monthly), while Readers will earn ₦840,000 annually (₦70,000 monthly).
Alausa explained that the allowance recognises the academic, administrative and research responsibilities of senior academics.
According to him, the initiative is meant to enhance research coordination, academic documentation and administrative efficiency, enabling senior scholars to devote more time to teaching, mentorship and innovation.
“This intervention is not cosmetic. It is structural, practical and transformative,” the minister said.
The minister praised President Tinubu’s “uncommon, courageous and people-centred leadership,” noting that sustained engagement, fiscal realism and mutual respect made it possible to resolve what many had considered an intractable crisis spanning more than two decades.
He assured Nigerians of the Federal Government’s commitment to the faithful implementation of the agreement under the Renewed Hope Agenda, pledging continuous engagement with stakeholders and sustained reforms in the education sector.
Education stakeholders say the agreement ushers in a new era of stability and excellence for Nigerian universities, restoring predictability to academic calendars and renewed hope to students and parents nationwide.
Alausa also commended members of both negotiating teams—led by Alhaji Yayale Ahmed for the Federal Government and Professor Pius Piwuna for ASUU, as well as the immediate past ASUU leadership under Professor Emmanuel Osodeke, for laying the groundwork for the breakthrough.
“History will remember today not just as an unveiling ceremony,” the minister concluded, “but as the day Nigeria chose dialogue, transparency and strong presidential commitment as the pathway to resolving long-standing governance challenges.”
With the agreement now sealed, many Nigerians are hopeful that the era of prolonged university shutdowns is giving way to stability, productivity and global competitiveness in the nation’s higher education system.
Authorities in Saudi Arabia have declared Friday, March 20, 2026, as the day for the celebration of Eid al-Fitr following the non-sighting of the crescent moon.
The announcement was made on Wednesday via the official HaraminInfo social media platforms, which provide updates on religious developments in the Kingdom.
According to the statement, efforts to sight the crescent moon across designated locations in the Kingdom were unsuccessful due to unfavourable weather conditions.
“The crescent moon has NOT been sighted in Saudi Arabia. Therefore, #EidAlFitr will be celebrated on Friday, 20th March 2026,” the statement read.
The platform also offered prayers for Muslims as the holy month of Ramadan draws to a close.
“May Allāh allow us to utilise the remaining moments of this blessed month to engage in that which pleases Him, may He accept our siyām, qiyām & a’māl and may He allow us to witness many more Ramadāns in good health. Āmīn,” it added.
Saudi authorities explained that observations were conducted across multiple locations, from Dammam—identified as the first city in the Kingdom where the crescent moon is usually sighted—to Tabuk, regarded as the last observation point.
However, persistent cloud cover and rainfall hampered visibility.
“Dammam, the first city in the Kingdom where the crescent moon of Eid al-Fitr is sighted. Tabuk – the last city in the Kingdom where the sighting ends. Until now: Cloudy conditions continue at most observation sites across the Kingdom. Rain is currently heading toward observation sites across the Kingdom,” the statement noted.
Saudi Arabia’s declaration is expected to influence several Muslim-majority countries, including Nigeria, where the official pronouncement rests with the Sultan of Sokoto.
As of the time of filing this report, Nigerians are awaiting confirmation from the Sultan regarding the sighting of the moon, which will determine the exact date for Eid-el-Fitr celebrations nationwide.
Eid-el-Fitr marks the end of Ramadan, the Islamic holy month characterised by fasting, prayers, and reflection by millions of Muslims around the world.
The festival is typically observed with prayers, charity, and communal celebrations among Muslim faithful.
A former Deputy Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, Tunde Lemo, has declared his interest in contesting the 2027 governorship election in Ogun State.
Lemo made the disclosure while participating in the All Progressives Congress (APC) ward congress at Ward 12, Ita-Agemo, Isale-Igbein in Abeokuta.
The banker said his ambition was motivated by a desire to accelerate development at the grassroots and unlock the state’s agricultural potential.
According to him, Ogun State is richly endowed and requires purposeful leadership to harness its resources for the benefit of the people.
Lemo, who was received by enthusiastic party members, assured them of an inclusive government and unwavering loyalty to the All Progressives Congress.
He attributed the peaceful conduct of the ward congresses in the state to the policies under the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
Lemo said the exercise was aimed at consolidating unity and harmony within the party.
“I don’t want to canvass personal position here, but my presence here today is to underscore the fact that APC is an organic party. You can see the crowd, and we are members of one family. You have not seen anybody fighting. We are very strong and very vibrant, and people are happy because of the transformative agenda of President Bola Tinubu, but at the same time, we are building the base, because today we are having the ward congresses, and from there, of course, we move up to the National Congress. So I’m very, very excited that we have very loyal party members,” he said.
The former CBN deputy governor also lauded the developmental efforts of Ogun State Governor Dapo Abiodun, particularly the creation of the agro-cargo airport, which has received approval to commence commercial operations.
He noted that such projects were positioning the state for economic growth and investment.
Speaking on his political aspiration, Lemo acknowledged his interest in the 2027 governorship race, while stressing that leadership is about service and improving people’s lives.
“You all know who I am, and you know what I’ve been trying to do. But by the special grace of God, it is about governance. It’s about raising the bar and ensuring the best for our people, and that’s what we’re doing, and by the special grace of God, we will get there.
“Yes, of course, I have my eyes on 2027 just like everyone else, but everything is in the hands of God,” he added.
Former Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami (SAN), has been taken into custody by operatives of the Department of State Services shortly after his release from the Kuje Correctional Centre, Abuja.
The former minister was reportedly arrested on Thursday after completing his bail conditions granted by a Federal High Court.
Malami was taken into custody by DSS operatives moments after leaving the correctional facility, where he had been held following his arraignment.
Although details of the arrest were yet to be officially disclosed, it was gathered that the former Attorney-General is facing a fresh investigation by the secret police.
A security source, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the arrest was not connected to the charges for which he was earlier remanded in prison.
Investigations revealed that the new development may be linked to the alleged discovery of arms at Malami’s country home in Kebbi State.
According to findings, operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission reportedly uncovered the arms during a search of the former minister’s residence, prompting security concerns that attracted the attention of the DSS.
However, as of the time of filing this report, neither the DSS nor the EFCC had issued an official statement confirming the discovery or the nature of the alleged arms.
Recall that a Federal High Court sitting in Abuja on Wednesday granted Malami bail alongside his wife and son.
The court fixed bail at ₦500 million each, with two sureties in like sum, ordering that the sureties must be persons of verifiable means and acceptable to the court.
The former minister was said to have fulfilled the bail conditions before his release from Kuje Prison.
Prior to his rearrest, Malami had raised concerns over what he described as a plot by the DSS to re-arrest him.
In a statement issued by his Special Assistant on Media, Mohammed Bello Doka, the former Attorney-General alleged that operatives of the DSS had been carrying out surveillance around the correctional centre.
He claimed that the move was aimed at re-arresting him immediately after his release.
The statement read in part that the alleged surveillance heightened fears within Malami’s camp about possible violations of his rights, despite complying with court orders.
Background
Malami, who served as Attorney-General of the Federation from 2015 to 2023 under former President Muhammadu Buhari, has been under intense scrutiny by anti-corruption and security agencies since leaving office.
His tenure was marked by several controversial legal decisions and high-profile cases, many of which attracted public criticism and legal challenges.
In recent months, Malami has faced multiple investigations linked to alleged financial improprieties and abuse of office, although he has consistently denied any wrongdoing.
The latest arrest by the DSS further deepens the legal troubles of the former justice minister and adds another layer to the ongoing probes involving him and members of his family.