After 16 Years, ASUU & FG Agree Again — But Will January Deliver?
By MELVIN KOFFA
Implementation Test: Will This MoU Hold?
NIGERIA’S university system may be approaching a turning point as the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) and the Federal Government reach an interim agreement in the renegotiation of the 2009 accord, a pact that has fuelled labour unrest, shutdowns, and policy distrust for 16 years. Sources within the union’s National Executive Council (NEC) confirm the document has been signed, with implementation scheduled to commence in January 2025, potentially closing a decade-long cycle of failed promises, suspended timelines, and recurrent strikes.
What Was Signed: Key Terms and Structural Add-ons
At the heart of the agreement is a 40% salary increase for academics across federal universities, the creation of a National Research Council (NRC) backed by statutory funding, and a commitment to allocate at least 1% of Nigeria’s GDP annually to research and development—a significant policy shift if executed. The deal also includes pension reforms allowing professors to retire at 70 with benefits equivalent to their annual salary, alongside new guarantees for academic freedom, institutional autonomy, and dedicated funding for libraries, laboratories, and staff development.
A Graveyard of Committees, a Trail of Unkept Drafts
The new accord becomes the sixth major renegotiation attempt since 2017. Previous committees led by Wale Babalakin (2017-2020), Munzali Jibrin (2021), Nimi Briggs (2022), and Abel Enitan’s review panel (2024) all produced draft agreements that were never implemented, leaving ASUU distrustful of federal negotiation culture. The union has repeatedly accused the government of forming committees as a conflict-management tactic rather than a policy-delivery mechanism.
January Is the Real Verdict
Although both the Education Ministry and ASUU leadership have remained publicly silent, the real test lies ahead: implementation. If salary adjustments or NRC funding frameworks do not appear in federal budget lines, circulars, or payment schedules by February, analysts warn the cycle of industrial action may restart with even deeper legitimacy, given the precedent of failed draft-to-implementation transitions.
