“University Lecturers Get 40% Pay Hike as FG Introduces Professorial Allowance”

The Federal Government of Nigeria has approved a 40 per cent salary increase for university lecturers in federal institutions as part of a newly signed agreement with the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU). Alongside the pay rise, the government introduced a new professorial cadre allowance to provide additional monthly support for senior academics.

Education Minister Dr. Tunji Alausa announced the development, describing it as a significant achievement for the nation’s tertiary education system and a result of extensive negotiations to update the long‑outdated 2009 agreement with ASUU.

Under the new arrangement, professors will receive a monthly top‑up of over ₦140,000, while other academic staff will benefit from the broader salary increase structured to improve working conditions, morale, and the global competitiveness of Nigerian universities.

The agreement also clearly defines and structures nine enhanced Earned Academic Allowances, giving lecturers greater clarity about what they will be paid for and how the allowances are distributed.

Officials assured that funding for the salary adjustment and the new allowance has been secured and that implementation has already begun, marking a key step toward ending recurring disruptions in the university system caused by prolonged negotiations and industrial actions.