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By Lizzy Chirkpi
The Federal Government on Wednesday announced the release of ₦2.3 billion to settle outstanding salary and promotion arrears owed to university lecturers across the country, reaffirming its commitment to revitalising Nigeria’s tertiary education system through fiscal discipline, policy reforms, and continued engagement with unions.
Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, disclosed this while providing updates on the government’s ongoing dialogue with the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) and other tertiary institution unions. According to him, President Bola Tinubu remains resolute in addressing all lingering welfare and funding concerns “in a transparent, fair, and sustainable manner.”
Alausa explained that the payment, processed through the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation, represents Batch 8 of salary and promotion arrears for university staff. “A total of ₦2.311 billion, representing Batch 8 salary and promotion arrears, has been released through the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation to universities. Benefiting institutions should begin to receive payment alerts anytime from now,” he said in a statement signed by the ministry’s Director of Press, Folasade Boriowo.
The minister added that the government is finalising the release of third-party non-statutory deductions and pension remittances, which are expected to be completed “in the coming days.”
He further revealed that the Federal Government has approved the full integration of the Earned Academic Allowance (EAA) into university staff salaries beginning in 2026 a measure he said would ensure predictable and timely disbursement. “Funds have also been released under the Needs Assessment of Nigerian Universities, with budgetary provisions made to sustain the initiative,” he added.
“The Federal Ministry of Education assures that these engagements are being conducted truthfully and in good faith. However, while the government remains committed to improving staff welfare, it will only enter into agreements that are realistic and financially sustainable,” Alausa said.
He emphasised that the Yayale Ahmed Renegotiation Committee continues to serve as a bridge between the Federal Government and university-based unions to ensure all pending welfare-related issues are addressed through “honest and mutually respectful dialogue.”
“Our priority is to ensure that all matters are addressed responsibly and in the best interest of our education system,” Alausa stressed. “The government will not engage in unsustainable fiscal practices; all commitments must align with approved budgetary provisions to guarantee long-term stability.”
ASUU has long been at odds with the Federal Government over unpaid salaries, promotion arrears, and unimplemented agreements dating back to 2009. The union, which represents thousands of lecturers nationwide, accuses the government of neglecting public universities, leading to recurring strikes and a decline in academic standards.
Earlier this month, ASUU suspended a two-week warning strike following interventions by the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the National Assembly.
The union’s demands include the implementation of the renegotiated 2009 ASUU-FGN Agreement, payment of withheld three-and-a-half months’ salaries, revitalisation of public universities, and release of withheld cooperative deductions.
The 2009 agreement renegotiation, which has lingered since 2017, saw its most recent review under the Yayale Ahmed Committee in 2024 but its recommendations are yet to be implemented.