Federal Government Proposes 40% Raise for University Lecturers

The Federal Government has reportedly offered a 40 per cent salary increase to members of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), sources familiar with the ongoing discussions in Abuja have confirmed.

The proposal comes as ASUU prepares to resume negotiations with the government’s team led by Yayale Ahmed, following a consensus reached during the union’s National Executive Council (NEC) meeting in Abuja on Sunday.

Branch leaders who attended the meeting are expected to brief members across various universities on the latest development.

“They made a proposal of a 40% salary increment. Branch leaders will go back and update members on the situation. As it stands, negotiations continue with the government next week,” a NEC member, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said.

Tensions have continued to rise across public universities after ASUU’s one-month ultimatum to the Federal Government expired last Saturday. In an effort to prevent a nationwide shutdown of academic activities, the government invited ASUU leadership to meetings in Abuja on Monday and Tuesday. Both sides have kept the outcome confidential due to strict rules guiding negotiations.

ASUU had earlier threatened a full-scale strike, citing the government’s inadequate response to long-standing issues. Central to the dispute are the review of the 2009 ASUU–Federal Government agreement, payment of outstanding salaries and earned academic allowances, and the release of the university revitalisation fund.

Meanwhile, the Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, currently out of the country, maintains that the government has met the union’s demands. Speaking to State House correspondents two weeks ago, he reiterated President Bola Tinubu’s directive that public universities must remain open.

“The President has mandated that ASUU should not go on strike, and we’re doing everything possible to ensure students stay in school. The last strike they went on for about six days was unnecessary. We have met all their requirements and are back at the negotiation table. We will resolve this,” the minister said.