The Federal Government has approved a 40 per cent salary increase for lecturers in federal tertiary institutions and introduced a new professorial cadre allowance that will see university professors earn an additional monthly top-up of over ₦140,000.

The Minister of Education disclosed this on Wednesday during an interview on Channels Television’s Politics Today, following the signing of a landmark 2025 agreement between the Federal Government and the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU).

The agreement ends a 16-year stalemate over the renegotiation of the 2009 FGN–ASUU agreement and is expected to improve lecturers’ welfare, boost funding for universities and ensure stability in the nation’s tertiary education system.

According to the minister, the new professorial cadre allowance is part of a restructured package of nine enhanced Earned Academic Allowances designed to better reward academic staff.

“A professor will now receive a monthly top-up of over ₦140,000,” he said, explaining that the allowance is a newly created category approved by President Bola Tinubu to strengthen academic remuneration.

He added that adequate funding has been secured to support both the 40 per cent salary increase for lecturers and the enhanced allowances across federal institutions.

The minister assured that implementation of the agreement has already begun, noting that the necessary circulars backing the welfare components were issued after extensive consultations involving the President and the National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission in late December.

“The President made it clear that he would not approve an agreement that could not be implemented,” he said, stressing that the availability of funds was a key condition before final approval.

He further explained that the restructured allowances clearly define who is paid, what they are paid for and the associated costs, giving lecturers greater clarity and confidence in the new system.

The government described the agreement as a major milestone in efforts to ensure quality, accessible and uninterrupted university education in Nigeria.