As part of efforts to strengthen the implementation of the programme, the State Cash Transfer Unit on Wednesday organised a Quarterly Review meeting with facilitators drawn from the 20 local government areas of the state, held at the Management Resource Centre, Alausa.

The meeting was convened to assess the progress of the Conditional Cash Transfer Programme, review operational performance, address implementation challenges, and develop strategies for improved service delivery to beneficiaries across Lagos State.

Speaking during the meeting, the Commissioner for Wealth Creation and Employment, Hon. Akinyemi Ajigbotafe, represented by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Mrs. Lolade Aina, emphasised the importance of collaboration, accountability, and effective community engagement in ensuring the success of the programme.

The commissioner commended local governments that recorded distribution efficiency rates above 90 per cent, including Kosofe, Ojo, Ifako-Ijaye, Apapa, Badagry, and Ikeja, noting that their impressive performance reflected the positive outcomes achievable through effective collaboration between the state and local governments.

Ajigbotafe further stressed that the success of the Conditional Cash Transfer Programme depended greatly on strong synergy between the state government and local governments, adding that effective implementation could only be achieved when local government leadership, desk officers, facilitators, and community representatives fully took ownership of the programme.

He therefore urged all local government teams to intensify community mobilisation efforts, strengthen beneficiary engagement, and ensure proper follow-up during subsequent distribution exercises to guarantee that all eligible beneficiaries benefitted from the Renewed Hope Initiative.

Participants at the review meeting engaged in robust discussions, knowledge-sharing sessions, and capacity-building activities aimed at improving field operations, enhancing data management processes, and ensuring efficient service delivery across Lagos State.

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NUT national president, Mr. Titus Amba, voiced the position on Thursday in Abuja during a press conference on education policy.

The Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, recently announced that NCE applicants would no longer sit the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination.

Instead, candidates with at least four O-Level credits will be screened directly, though registration with JAMB remains compulsory.

Amba argued that colleges of education should attract only the most capable students to ensure quality teacher training and improved learning outcomes.

“Education, especially at primary and secondary levels, is the bedrock of every profession.

“If we fail at that foundation, we fail at every other level of education in the country,” he said.

He added that removing key testing points could undermine efforts to raise academic standards in teacher training institutions.

According to him, rather than granting waivers, government should make teaching more attractive through improved incentives and welfare packages.

“We have been advocating for better working conditions and welfare for Nigerian teachers, yet little progress has been made,” he said.

Amba stressed that countries like Sweden and Finland prioritised teacher welfare and pay, which had strengthened their education systems.

“They have invested heavily in education, particularly in teachers’ welfare and working conditions,” he explained.

According to him, Nigeria has the capacity to achieve similar results if it prioritises basic education and teacher development.

Amba also recalled unfulfilled 2020 promises by former President Muhammadu Buhari, including improved incentives and a special salary structure for teachers.

“Go to the field and visit colleges of education, such as the one in Zuba, to see what has been implemented,” he said.

He criticised policy inconsistency across administrations, noting that most promised reforms had not been fully realised.

The NUT president insisted that improving teachers’ welfare, not admission waivers, remained key to attracting quality candidates into the profession.

Source: NAN

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The JAC comprises the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities, SSANU, and the Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions, NASU.

The meeting, convened by the Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, was adjourned to May 5 at 3 p.m. for further negotiations.

SSANU and NASU began an indefinite strike on April 30 following the expiration of a one-month ultimatum to the federal government over the renegotiation of the 2009 agreement.

The unions are protesting the federal government’s proposed 30 per cent salary increase, insisting on a 40 per cent adjustment through collective bargaining.

The federal government had earlier withdrawn the 30 per cent offer, a decision the unions described as unilateral and lacking proper consultation.

Speaking on the industrial action, SSANU President, Mr Mohammed Ibrahim, said the strike was fully complied with nationwide, paralysing administrative and essential services in universities.

“Our demands remain unchanged. We are demanding fairness, equity and proper consideration for our members.

“The 40 per cent benchmark is the minimum acceptable position for us, and the strike continues until meaningful progress is achieved,” he said.

Ibrahim said administrative offices, clinics, hostels and finance departments had been shut across universities due to total compliance with the strike directive.

“Our position remains the same. We are asking for fairness and equity, and nothing has changed,” he said.

Meanwhile, the University of Maiduguri, UNIMAID, has postponed its e-examinations due to disruptions caused by the strike.

The institution, in a memo issued by the Office of the Vice-Chancellor and signed by the Exams and Time-Table Coordinator, Prof. Dani Mamman, said that the examinations would be rescheduled until the strike was suspended.

“In view of the non-teaching staff strike, the above examinations will be rescheduled until the current strike is suspended.”

Source: NAN

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The Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Mr. Bayo Onanuga, made this known on Monday in a statement he issued.

He said Tinubu also approved a special take-off grant of N15 billion for the college.

The president’s approval was in fulfilment of the provisions of the Nigeria Police Academy (Establishment) Act, 2021, particularly with respect to the expansion of the Police Academy based in Wudil, Kano State, into multiple campuses across the country.

The intervention fund will be sourced from the TetFund 2026 allocation to finance priority infrastructure, academic facilities, student accommodation, and core training assets.

A high-level consultative meeting involving the Minister of Police Affairs, the Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, officials of the Federal Ministry of Education, the Inspector-General of Police and the Executive Secretary of the National Universities Commission, NUC, recommended the siting of the new campus in Erinja.

The meeting considered student intake capacity, funding realities, academic quality assurance, and the long-term needs of the Nigerian Police Force, which is currently recruiting more men.

President Tinubu believes the expansion will strengthen institutional governance, modern policing education and national security.

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…Sanwo-Olu delivers mega school projects, Agro food hub in President’s Day-2 visit

 A comprehensive regeneration and upgrade of Tolu Schools Complex in Ajegunle, a densely populated Lagos suburb, by the Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu administration is reminiscent of a rebirth of education in Ajeromi Ifelodun local government area.

The cluster of 36 public schools got its facilities rehabilitated in an infrastructure renewal programme supervised by the Special Committee on Rehabilitation of Public Schools, SCRPS.

The modernised schools, sighted on 11.73 hectares, were part of the mega projects inaugurated by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in his second day visit to Lagos, his home state.

The school complex was commissioned along with Maracana Stadium, comprising 19 mini-football pitches built side by side close to the complex.

Besides, the president virtually commissioned the Fresh Food Hub built by Sanwo-Olu in Abijo, Ajah area of Eti Osa.

The iconic projects were unveiled by the Senate President, Senator Godswill Akpabio, who represented President Tinubu at the event.

It was a moment of uncontrolled excitement for pupils of the 36 schools in the complex.

They trooped out to welcome Sanwo-Olu and Akpabio, clad in their respective uniforms.

Also at the event were the Minister for Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa; Lagos Deputy Governor, Dr. Obafemi Hamzat, and Deputy Governor of Plateau State, Mrs. Josephine Piyo, and members of the National Assembly.

Tinubu said the scale of regeneration of Tolu Schools Complex by the Sanwo-Olu government, was “exceptional and remarkable”, stressing that the intervention reflected the vision, planning and commitment of the governor to improve the lives of young citizens.

The accomplishment, the president said, demonstrated what could be achieved with bold and focused leadership, commending Sanwo-Olu and his team for delivering a project that would serve tens of thousands of students within a school environment.

He said: “The remarkable scale and significance of Tolu Schools Complex regeneration is truly exceptional. The successful upgrade of such a large and complex educational facility is highly commendable. This reflects the vision, planning and very clear commitment to improving the lives of our young citizens. Sanwo-Olu and his team deserve commendation for delivering a project of this magnitude and for demonstrating what is possible when leadership is bold and focused.

“We must continue to invest in education, not just as a social service but as driver of economic growth and national development. When we equip our children with knowledge and skills, we prepare them to contribute meaningfully to society and compete in a changing world. This is an investment in the strength and progress of not just our State but the country. No nation can rise above the quality of its human capital. When we give our young people access to quality education, the right skills and supportive environment, we are preparing them not just for today, but for the future we all desire.”

Through his administration’s Renewed Hope agenda, Tinubu said he had designed programmes that would ensure every child had access to quality care learning and equipped with practical skills to compete and thrive in the emerging modern economy.

By strengthening human capital development, the President said a society would build a workforce capable of driving innovation, creating jobs and sustaining national growth.

Tinubu said education policies must focus on boosting capacity and ensuring schools produce thinkers, problem solvers and innovators that will drive the nation’s economy forward.

“Projects like these show what is possible when leadership is focused and deliberate. This is how we turn opportunities to progress, potential into prosperity for all Nigerians. Lagos is leading in this direction,” the President said.

While unveiling the Mid-Level Fresh Food Hub in Abijo in virtual commissioning, the President said the food sustainability intervention delivered by Governor Sanwo-Olu was in alignment with his administration’s aggressive agricultural production programmes.

He said the facility would simplify the complex logistical process that entails transporting of farm produce to the market for consumption.

Sanwo-Olu said the Tolu Schools complex inauguration represented a beacon of hope and a message of reassurance to children living in Ajegunle, pointing out that the mega school project showed the Government did not neglect them.

The governor said the story of Tolu Schools Complex started in 1981 during the Mass Education Policy of the late Alhaji Lateef Jakande administration to provide accessible education in Ajegunle. He said the Government reclaimed land from the Lagos lagoon to build the complex, which started two pioneer schools — Unity and Olodi Apapa Secondary Schools.

The complex was expanded by the successive military administrations, after which a major milestone was recorded during the administration of the then Governor Bola Ahmed Tinubu, who added Bola Ige Millennium Secondary School.

The complex’s condition deteriorated due to a growing pupil population. Classrooms originally designed for 35 students were crammed with over 100 pupils and the perimeter fencing was damaged by floodwater.

In response, Sanwo-Olu initiated a regeneration project for the complex. This involved giving all 36 schools in the cluster a complete infrastructural makeover.

The governor said: “We took a clear and deliberate decision to regenerate this historic complex completely and courageously. What we are commissioning today is not a facelift or a cosmetic intervention. It is a full re-imagination of what public education should look like in a modern African city. We have transformed the Tolu Schools Complex into the largest integrated educational community in West Africa, providing a complete educational ladder from foundation to the threshold of higher learning.

“To tackle overcrowding and create a more conducive learning environment, we have delivered 12 new classroom blocks, each containing 18 classrooms. In addition, 24 existing school buildings have been comprehensively rehabilitated, restoring them into safe, habitable and inspiring spaces for teaching and learning. We also built a four-storey vocational and skills acquisition centre with dedicated workshops designed to bridge the gap between academic instruction and practical competence.”

The Tolu Schools Complex was also equipped with central science laboratories and ICT Complex that can accommodate 200 pupils at a time.

Sanwo-Olu renamed the Maracana Stadium, comprising 19 mini-football pitches, after President Tinubu for his consistent championing of youth and sports development.

The governor said the 23,000sq metre Abijo Mid-Level Agro Food hub was designed to create a sustainable food distribution network along the Eti Osa corridor.

“This facility, with its modern storage infrastructure, trading floors, and logistics systems, will decentralise access to fresh produce beyond our traditional markets, bringing affordable, quality food closer to families across the Lekki-Ajah axis and beyond. It is a critical piece of our food security architecture,” Sanwo-Olu said.

Education Minister, Alausa, said massive regeneration of Tolu Schools Complex stood as a powerful testament to the vision of a committed leadership in Lagos, noting that the accomplishment reflected what could be possible when leadership was purposeful, intentional and people-centric.

The achievement, he said, was in furtherance of President Tinubu’s visionary leadership and his commitment to quality education through the Renewed Hope agenda.

“The commissioning of Tolu Schools Complex is a landmark achievement in our collective pursuit of educational excellence. This is an unveiling of a bold statement and declaration that Nigeria is investing decisively in the future of its children,” Alausa said.

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The Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, in a directive issued to vice-chancellors of federal universities on Monday, announced a 40 per cent increase in the Consolidated Academic Allowance, CAA, for ASUU members, effective from January 1, 2026.

Alausa reaffirmed President Bola Tinubu’s commitment to the welfare of academic staff and the stability of the university system.

He said some federal universities had already reflected the increase in salary payments.

He directed all federal universities to ensure full compliance, integrating the approved increment into their payroll structures so all eligible academic staff benefit.

The minister also stressed strict adherence to the implementation of the Consolidated Tools Allowance, CATA, noting that its payment had been captured and circularised by the National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission, NSIWC, and included in the 2026 budget.

He urged university management to use available resources to ensure prompt payment of CATA in line with NSIWC guidelines.

Alausa said timely implementation of both the CAA increase and CATA would strengthen the academic environment, enhance staff morale, and improve teaching, research, and learning outcomes.

He reiterated the federal government’s resolve to honour agreements with education stakeholders and remain committed to constructive engagement, transparency, industrial harmony, and continuous improvement of quality education in Nigeria.

Source: NAN

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That was as she charged them to embrace innovation amid government pledges to revamp education under the Renewed Hope Agenda.

Delivering the keynote address at the National Teachers’ Summit 2026, themed “Empowering Teachers; Strengthening the Education System,” at the State House Conference Center, Abuja, Senator Oluremi Tinubu emphasised that “meaningful educational and national progress can only be achieved when teachers are adequately equipped, motivated, and supported.”

As a former classroom teacher and educationist, the First Lady drew from personal experience to underscore teachers’ pivotal role.

“Teachers are the quiet architects of great nations, shaping young minds, instilling values, and nurturing hope”.

“I understand firsthand the demands of teaching and the enduring impact of teachers in shaping societies.”

The First Lady commended the Federal Ministry of Education’s new “Edu Revamp Portal,” launched to drive continuous professional development.

“I congratulate the Federal Ministry of Education on the launch of the ‘Edu Revamp Portal’, an initiative that will ensure continuous professional development for our teachers. The framework of this initiative will no doubt improve learning outcomes across the country. I say, well done.

“Under the Renewed Hope Agenda of His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, education remains an essential pillar of national development with a clear recognition that sustainable development begins with quality teaching and learning. The administration is committed to sustained investment in teachers’ welfare, professional development, and the skills needed to prepare learners for a rapidly changing world.

“To my fellow teachers, I thank you for your hard work, commitment, and dedication. I charge you to continue to pursue excellence, embrace innovation, and uphold integrity as you shape the next generation of leaders.”

Chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum, NGF, and Kwara State governor, Gov. AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, described teachers as “nation builders, character shapers, and custodians of our collective future”.

Represented by Borno State Governor, Prof Babagana Zulum, he said: “No education system can rise above the quality, motivation, professionalism, and welfare of its teachers.”

Noting teachers serve over 70 million learners in urban, rural, conflict zones, riverine, and nomadic areas, he called empowerment “a strategic imperative for national development, social stability, and economic growth.”

Earlier, Education Minister Dr. Tunji Alausa, announced cash rewards for top educators and announced the launch of EduRevamp portal at the Nigeria Teachers’ Summit 2026, declaring teachers the “foundation of national development.”

“No nation can rise above the quality of its teachers. No reform, no matter how well designed, can succeed unless teachers are empowered, motivated, supported, and respected. When teachers thrive, learners succeed, systems grow stronger and nations move forward.”

He revealed a merit-based awards process, with three nominees from each of Nigeria’s 36 states and the FCT at basic and senior secondary levels.

After rigorous selection, 12 finalists emerged – six from basic education and six from senior secondary.

“These educators represent the very best of this profession: professionalism, integrity, innovation, and unwavering commitment to learners,” the minister said.

Each will receive ₦25 million, with the overall Best Teacher of the Year winning ₦50 million.

“This is more than a reward. It is a national signal that teaching is a noble, respected, and valued profession in Nigeria.”

The highlight of the summit was the emergence of Solanke Francis Taiwo from Ogun State as Nigeria’s Overall Best Teacher at the National Teachers’ Summit 2026, scooping ₦50 million, a two-bedroom flat as promised by Ogun Governor Prince Dapo Abiodun (to be built  in any area of his choice in the state), and a car pledged by Borno Governor, Prof Babagana Zulum.

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Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, on Monday, signed the Appropriation Bill into law at a brief ceremony held in Alausa, the seat of power.

The budget, estimated at N4.444 trillion, was passed by the House of Assembly on January 8, after which the legislature transmitted the document to the Executive arm for signing.

Sanwo-Olu said the budget signified his administration’s bold move to strengthen the foundation of governance and make the state continuously competitive, while repositioning it for growth.

The governor said the budget was predicated on an inclusive governance approach aimed at impacting the lives of the state’s residents, regardless of the sector they operate and area they live.

Sanwo-Olu noted that the state faced difficult governance challenges into the year, making reference to the fire disaster at Balogun Market in Lagos Island and the ongoing demolition of shanties being enforced along the coastal line of Ebute Metta.

The challenges, the governor said, reflected the need for improved infrastructure and service delivery, noting that the budget was expected to raise the capacity of the government in solving the emerging challenges and make the state better.

He said: “This is an inclusive budget designed to carry every resident and community along, irrespective of where they live in the state or sector in which they operate. Our residents will feel the touch and impact of governance across areas of our priorities, including education where we will build new schools, health sector where new facilities will be built. There are various interventions we will do to enhance and improve the quality of life.

“In security, we will be providing improved services to ensure Lagos remains safe for businesses and living. These are some of the ways in which the prosperity of our dear State will be achieved. This budget will be implemented responsibly; we will put up our A-grade in order to ensure accountability, while also ensuring that value for money is created. In the end, Lagosians will feel the impact of the great effort which the Executive and the House of Assembly have made.”

In 2026, Sanwo-Olu said there would be a strategic focus on infrastructure renewal, transportation expansion, agricultural development, and other growth-enhancing initiatives that would stimulate productivity, support MSMEs, create jobs, and drive broad-based economic growth.

The governor, however, frowned at indiscriminate dumping of waste across the metropolis, describing the situation as “completely unacceptable”.

He urged residents to show more responsibility towards protecting the environment, while noting that the state government would be doubling the capacity of Lagos State Waste Management Authority, LAWMA, and private waste collectors.

Commissioner for Economic Planning and Budget, Mr. Ope George, said the appropriation framework reflected the state government’s deliberate planning to bring about a more resilient and people-centred governance to position Lagos for future growth.

Describing the Appropriation Law as “bold, disciplined fiscal response to prevailing economic realities”, George disclosed that the budget was reviewed upward from N4.2 trillion initially proposed by the Executive.

He pointed out that the approval process of the budget passed through legislative scrutiny of the House and committee engagement with Ministries, Departments and Agencies, MDAs.

He said: “The expenditure framework adopts a balanced structure, comprising N2.337 trillion in Capital Expenditure, representing 53 per cent, and N2.107 trillion in Recurrent Expenditure, which stands at 47 per cent. This balance reflects a clear policy choice, which is to sustain strategic infrastructure investment while ensuring the efficient delivery of essential government services that directly affect the daily lives of Lagosians.

“As the Ministry that has statutory responsibility for economic planning, budgeting, monitoring, and performance evaluation, we approach the implementation of the 2026 Budget of Shared Prosperity with a clear sense of ownership and responsibility. The recorded significant performance of the 2025 Budget provides a solid and credible foundation for the effective implementation of the 2026 Budget.”

The Speaker, Rt. Hon. Mudashiru Obasa, represented by Majority Leader, Hon. Noheem Adams, said the legislative scrutiny on the budget was thorough, pointing out that all relevant committees dissected the document before ratification by the House to reflect the yearnings of residents.

“The budget has been well scrutinised and we have confidence in the capacity of the Executive to implement the document to the letter,” Hon. Adam said.

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By OLABODE OPESEITAN

Nigeria’s new FG–ASUU agreement is a structural reset of the university system, the closest the country has come in over a decade and a half to breaking the cycle of strikes, brain drain and policy drift that hollowed out its campuses.

Now signed and unveiled in Abuja on Wednesday, it replaces the disputed 2009 pact and is framed explicitly as a turning point for stability, funding and research-led development in Africa’s most populous nation.

WHY THIS IS HISTORIC

The agreement caps nearly 15–16 years of on‑off negotiations, strikes and failed implementation around the 2009 FG–ASUU deal, which was due for review as far back as 2012.

It is the first time in years that government and lecturers have a time‑bound, reviewable compact that both sides describe as a “landmark” and a “decisive turning point” for the university system.

President of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Professor Chris Piwuna Goson described it as a historic moment for the nation’s universities. Elated, he urged lecturers across Nigeria to resume teaching, research, and community service following the signing of a new agreement with the Federal Government.

The pact takes effect from 1 January 2026 with a three‑year review cycle, signalling that government is committing not just to salaries and welfare but to a living framework for university governance, autonomy and accountability.

This is the breakthrough successive administrations gestured at but never quite landed: a negotiated end to recurring shutdowns, with clearer provisions on autonomy, welfare and funding that can anchor a decade of rebuilding if faithfully implemented.

KEY PROVISIONS AND WHAT THEY UNLOCK

The agreement includes about a 40% upward review of lecturers’ salaries alongside improved conditions of service, a response to long‑standing grievances over real‑wage erosion and welfare gaps that fuelled repeated strikes.

It strengthens university autonomy and academic freedom, including new rules on how Deans, Provosts and Heads of Postgraduate Schools are elected, with emphasis on professorial leadership and internal self‑governance.

Beyond pay, the agreement is tied to broader reforms: better funding architecture, clearer commitments on infrastructure renewal, and legal backing ASUU is already pursuing to guard implementation and protect staff from victimisation.

If the spirit of the deal is honoured, Nigerian universities can move from crisis‑management to medium‑term planning: multi‑year hiring, campus upgrades, curriculum innovation and industry partnerships that require predictable calendars and credible governance.

FOREIGN EDUCATION DRAIN AND THE NAIRA

Between 2020 and the first half of 2025, Nigerians spent an estimated $11.1 billion  on foreign education, roughly 2.6% of annual nominal GDP over the period and, in some years, more than combined federal and state education budgets.

In just the first six months of 2025, private outflows for schooling abroad hit about $1.39 billion dollars (around ₦2.16 trillion), almost equal to the entire 2025 federal education allocation of ₦2.52 trillion.

CBN data also show Nigeria earns virtually nothing from incoming foreign students, meaning education is currently a one‑way foreign exchange leak rather than a tradable service that brings FX home.

If stability is restored, facilities upgraded and deteriorating quality decisively reversed, even a conservative clawback of 50–80% of this outflow over time would ease FX pressure, support naira stabilisation and free resources for domestic investment in labs, hostels, broadband and innovation hubs. A 60% clawback could free up ₦5–6 trillion over a decade.

TINUBU’S RESEARCH DOCTRINE AND R&D

President Bola Tinubu has repeatedly framed his education agenda around applied research and problem‑solving, declaring that under his administration the era of research papers gathering dust in filing cabinets is over and that outputs must translate into real‑economy solutions.

The new agreement is explicitly linked to “sustainable development” and “national development,” language that positions universities not just as teaching centres but as R&D engines for power, agriculture, health, digital technology and industrial policy.

For ASUU and Nigerian scholars, this is an invitation, and a challenge, to redirect the energy once poured into strikes and litigation towards co-creating policy, incubating start-ups, and building problem-solving consortia with government and industry around critical national bottlenecks. Academia must now reboot manufacturing with the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria, accelerate public service delivery with the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, and deploy university expertise, like psychologists, to drive a mindset reset for national renewal.

CONSTRUCTION, AUTOS AND PLAYING BIG

Foreign firms still dominate Nigeria’s large construction market, with estimates in policy debates often placing 50%–70% of big‑ticket projects in the hands of non‑Nigerian contractors, especially in civil works and heavy infrastructure.

In autos, Nigeria has mostly operated as an assembly outpost, with modest SKD/CKD operations and limited localisation, even as policy documents have for years called for a transition to genuine manufacturing and automotive component ecosystems.

A stable, research‑driven university system can underwrite that pivot: civil engineering departments working with local firms on materials and standards, mechanical and mechatronics programmes designing components and powertrains, and business schools modelling financing structures that let indigenous companies scale into regional champions.

WHY STABILITY MATTERS FOR GROWTH

Recurrent shutdowns have sabotaged human‑capital formation, delayed graduations, and eroded global trust in Nigerian degrees, reinforcing the impulse to look abroad whenever families can pool the FX.

Stable calendars and rising morale, backed by better pay and clearer career paths, can help reverse brain drain, keep talent in the system, and begin to attract regional students, turning universities into export‑earning anchors rather than line items in the balance of payments.

For students, this is a lifeline. No more prolonged uncertainty. If faithfully implemented, a 4-year degree will take four years, not six or seven. With improved quality and stable calendars, graduates can enter the workforce promptly after NYSC, equipped for global opportunities and ready to contribute as immediate assets to society.

Over the next decade, if this agreement is sustained, the compounding effect could be powerful: a deeper talent pool, stronger innovation pipelines, lower FX outflows, and a more competitive naira, all feeding into Nigeria’s ambition to play at scale in African and global value chains.

THE MINISTER’S PEDIGREE AND PERFORMANCE

Dr Tunji Alausa, Nigeria’s Minister of Education, is a physician and health‑sector entrepreneur whose career has spanned clinical practice, hospital management and reform advocacy before his appointment to President Tinubu’s cabinet.

His technocratic reputation and prior experience in complex service‑delivery systems meant he came into the education portfolio with a bias for data, governance fixes and negotiated solutions rather than headline‑grabbing confrontation.

Since taking office, Alausa has presided over the decisive phase of the FG–ASUU renegotiation, winning plaudits from the union for his role in closing a deal that had eluded multiple administrations.

He has also repositioned TETFund and related agencies as central vehicles for infrastructure renewal and academic research funding, and publicly anchored the agreement on “renewed trust, restored confidence, and a decisive turning point” for tertiary education, language that signals both ownership and accountability.

In style, Alausa has been less a showman and more a systems‑builder: inaugurating a high‑level committee under Yayale Ahmed to finish the long‑stalled renegotiation, pushing for legal and fiscal sustainability, and emphasising implementation as much as signing ceremonies.

That combination of background, temperament and follow‑through is precisely what this moment demands. The real test of this breakthrough is not today’s headlines, but whether the architecture he has helped design keeps Nigerian universities open, competitive and globally relevant for the next ten years and beyond.

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The Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, at the presentation of the agreement in Abuja on Wednesday, said it reflected the commitment of President Bola Tinubu to accessible, quality and uninterrupted academic calendars.

According to the minister, the president took personal ownership of resolving long-standing disputes that had affected the university system for decades.

“For decades, unresolved remuneration concerns, welfare gaps, and recurring industrial disputes disrupted academic calendars, undermined staff morale, and threatened the future of our young people.

“Under the leadership of President Bola Tinubu, we deliberately chose dialogue over discord, reform over delay, and resolution over rhetoric,” he said.

He explained that a key provision of the agreement was the review of the remuneration package of academic staff in federal tertiary institutions, as approved by the National Salaries, Income and Wages Commission, with effect from January 1, 2026.

He said the emoluments of university academic staff had been reviewed upward by 40 per cent to improve morale, enhance service delivery, boost global competitiveness and curb brain drain.

According to him, the 40 per cent review is represented through a consolidated academic tools allowance, which is peculiar to university academic staff and forms part of the salary structure.

The minister said the consolidated academic tools allowance would cover journal publications, conference participation, internet access, learned society membership and book allowances.

This, he described as essential for effective teaching, research and global academic competitiveness.

He added that nine hitherto earned academic allowances had been clearly structured, made transparent and tied strictly to duties performed to promote productivity, accountability and fairness.

He also announced the introduction of a new professorial credit allowance, describing it as the first of its kind approved by the federal government.

According to him, the allowance applies strictly to full-time professors and academic readers in universities, in recognition of their heavy scholarly, administrative and research responsibilities.

He explained that under the new structure, professors would receive an additional N1.8 million per annum, amounting to about N140,000 monthly, while academic readers would receive N840,000 per annum, or N70,000 monthly.

The minister said the allowance was designed to support research coordination, academic documentation, correspondence and administrative efficiency, enabling senior academics to focus more on teaching, mentorship, innovation and knowledge production.

The minister said the government had already commenced implementation of the agreement, noting that a circular directing the full implementation of the wages component had been issued by the National Salaries, Income and Wages Commission.

According to him, the circular, dated December 30, 2025, was released to ensure the agreement took effect from January 1, 2026, in line with the government’s commitment.

Also speaking, ASUU President, Prof. Chris Pinuwa, recalled that the 2009 agreement, which was due for renegotiation in 2012, experienced prolonged delays.

Pinuwa said that the 2025 agreement was the outcome of a renegotiation process initiated in 2017 to revitalise Nigeria’s university system.

According to him, several renegotiation committees were constituted between 2017 and 2022 under successive administrations, including those chaired by Wale Babalakin, Munzali Jibrin and Nimi Briggs, but none produced a collective bargaining agreement.

He said the current administration inaugurated a new renegotiation committee chaired by Alhaji Yayale Ahmed in October 2024, noting that an agreement was reached about 14 months later.

He said the agreement focused on conditions of service, funding, university autonomy and academic freedom, as well as other systemic reforms aimed at reversing decay, curbing brain drain and repositioning universities for national development.

He commended Ahmed and members of the renegotiation team, Alausa, and President Bola Tinubu for their commitment to concluding the renegotiation process.

While expressing satisfaction with the successful collective bargaining process, Pinuwa said there were still unresolved issues affecting the university system, particularly persistent government interference in university autonomy.

“As we are here with joy for a successful collective bargaining between ASUU and the federal government, we need to note that there are still pending issues, which are more of internal.

“This issue is dragging the progress and survival of the university system: government persistent encroachment into the autonomy of the universities.

“University autonomy is universally recognised as a cornerstone of a functional higher education system.

“In Nigeria, although university autonomy is recognised in principle and partially entrenched in law, its practical implementation remains weak,” he said.

Source: NAN

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