ASUU yet to receive 40% salary increase despite FG’s claim

Members of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) have yet to receive the 40% salary increase and other welfare provisions contained in the renegotiated agreement, despite the Federal Government’s claim of implementation in a statement issued on Monday.

There were media publications, based on a statement issued by Boriowo Folasade, the Director of Press and Public Relations at the Federal Ministry of Education, that the Federal Government had commenced the implementation of key welfare provisions contained in its renegotiated agreement with the ASUU, including salary-related allowances, in a move aimed at improving staff welfare and stabilising the public university system.

On the contrary, several ASUU members who spoke with BusinessDay maintain that they had yet to benefit from the reported 40% salary increase, reigniting debate over unfulfilled agreements and trust in negotiations.

Idowu Kehinde, the University of Lagos ASUU Chairman, in a conversation with BusinessDay, debunked the claim, stating that the Union members in the institution were yet to receive the benefits.

Read also: FG begins implementation of renegotiated ASUU agreement

“The vice-chancellors are struggling to pay the Consolidated Academic Tools Allowance, as directed by the minister; the Federal Ministry of Education just gave the directive, but the implementation has not started,” he explained.

Similarly, Ifeanyi Abada, an ASUU Chieftain at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, affirmed that the statement by the Federal Government does not reflect the reality on the ground as the staff at the university still received the old salaries for January 2026.

Stanley Boroh, a Senior Lecturer at Federal University, Otuoke in Bayelsa State, also said that lecturers in the university are yet to get the dividends of the Federal Government’s claimed agreement implementation.

“For my institution, I can tell you, they have not paid. The federal government is still owing us some months in the 25% arrears. Our January salary was the same payment, no increase of any kind, so, the statement cannot be true,” he noted.

A lecturer from the University of Port Harcourt also debunked the 40% salary increase implementation claim by the Federal Government.

“Concerning the University of Port Harcourt, we have not received any increase or implementation of the ASUU-FG 40% salary increment; I don’t know of other universities,” he said.

However, BusinessDay reached out to a source in the Federal Ministry of Education to ascertain the universities that have begun to receive the implemented salary increase, but the source could not provide the needed information.

According to the FG statement released on Monday and published across several media, Maruf Alausa, the Minister of Education, announced that the Government had begun implementing a 40% increase in the Consolidated Academic Allowance for ASUU members, with effect from January 1, 2026.

The minister directed vice-chancellors to ensure strict compliance with the framework for implementing the Consolidated Academic Tools Allowance, urging them “to make judicious use of available resources to ensure the successful rollout of the allowance.”

He further clarified that “the payment has already been captured and circularised by the National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission, and that its inclusion in the 2026 budget is a formal statutory process.”

The statement read, “Some federal universities have already begun reflecting the approved increase in their salary payments. To ensure uniform implementation nationwide, all federal universities are being formally notified to fully cascade the approved increment across their institutions and integrate it into their payroll structures so that all eligible academic staff benefit accordingly.”

Despite this statement, there was no mention of the universities where implementation had commenced. BusinessDay reached out to several lecturers in federal tertiary institutions but received the same report – the increase has not been implemented.

Charles Ogwo is a proactive journalist, driving education, and business innovations for over 10 years.

He leads initiatives leveraging tech to enhance storytelling and build topnotch performing team.

Charles is passionate about harnessing technology to inform, engage and empower communities.

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