The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has announced significant progress in the ongoing renegotiation of the 2009 FGN/ASUU Agreement, revealing key resolutions reached with the Federal Government on university funding, autonomy, governance, and staff welfare.
The update was contained in a report signed by ASUU President, Christopher Piwuna, and shared via the union’s official Facebook page on Tuesday.
ASUU disclosed that both parties reached agreements across seven major areas, covering non-salary conditions of service, funding, governance, implementation strategies, salaries, and earned academic allowances.
University Autonomy and Governance
According to the report, ASUU and the government agreed to fully uphold university autonomy, including respect for existing laws guiding Senates, Governing Councils and internal regulations. It was also reaffirmed that government circulars conflicting with university laws would no longer apply.
Both parties agreed that vice-chancellors must be appointed strictly on merit, rejecting calls for host-community indigenes to be given priority. Membership of governing councils is to comply with the Universities Miscellaneous Provisions Act, ensuring individuals of proven integrity are appointed.
Departments will elect their heads, while deans, sub-deans and provosts will be chosen through internal elections. Recruitment is to reflect national and international diversity.
Funding and Budgeting
The Federal Government approved an improved needs-based budgeting template, addressing critical recurrent and capital components previously excluded. The government also committed to strengthening research and development, ensuring universities benefit from National Research Council interventions and encouraging companies to support R&D.
Both sides agreed to protect universities’ landed property and explore innovative taxation—requiring legislation and executive orders—to ensure sustainable funding for tertiary education.
Administrative Matters
Statutory bodies such as the Senate and Congregation will retain their legally defined compositions. Pre-degree programmes will be limited to science and under-subscribed fields. Universities must respect students’ rights to lawful assembly and association.
The long-standing pyramidal academic staff structure was abolished. Promotions will now be determined by research output and performance, rather than vacancy availability.
Universities also received approval for duty-free importation of books, journals, laboratory equipment, teaching aids and sustainable-energy materials.
Implementation Strategy
Priority actions include establishing a monitoring unit within the NUC, setting up an implementation committee, amending relevant laws and releasing funds to fulfil government commitments.
The agreement is expected to undergo a comprehensive review every three years. Academic salaries will also automatically adjust whenever public sector wages are reviewed.
Salary Structure and Earned Allowances
The union revealed that government’s initial salary proposals were rejected as inadequate. Following further negotiation, a structure similar to recommendations of the Nimi Briggs Committee was adopted—slightly higher in some categories and slightly lower in others.
ASUU’s NEC accepted the structure to avoid further stagnation. For earned academic allowances, both sides agreed to annual payments equal to 12% of each university’s academic staff wage bill, to be funded through yearly budget allocations.
A non-victimization clause was also secured to protect individuals involved in the negotiation process.
