The Federal Government has reportedly proposed a 40 per cent salary increase for lecturers under the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), according to sources familiar with the negotiations who spoke with our correspondent in Abuja.
The offer comes as ASUU prepares to resume negotiations with the Federal Government team led by Yayale Ahmed. The decision to return to the negotiation table followed a consensus reached during the union’s National Executive Council (NEC) meeting held in Abuja on Sunday.
Branch leaders who attended the NEC meeting are expected to brief their members on the new development.
A NEC member who spoke on condition of anonymity, due to restrictions on media engagement during ongoing talks, said discussions with the government would continue next week.
“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,” the source said.
ASUU’s one-month ultimatum to the Federal Government expired last Saturday, intensifying anxiety across public universities. In a last-minute effort to avert a possible strike, the government summoned ASUU leadership to a meeting in Abuja on Monday, which extended into Tuesday.
Both sides have refrained from disclosing details of the talks, citing strict negotiation protocols.
The union has threatened a full-scale strike, accusing the government of a “nonchalant” attitude toward its long-standing demands. These include the review of the 2009 ASUU–Federal Government agreement, payment of outstanding salaries and earned allowances, and the release of the university revitalisation fund.
Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa currently out of the country has insisted that the government has substantially met ASUU’s demands. Speaking to State House correspondents two weeks ago, he reaffirmed President Bola Tinubu’s directive that public universities must not shut down.
“As I told you, the President has mandated us that he doesn’t want ASUU to go on strike, and we’re doing everything humanly possible to ensure that our students stay in school. The last strike they went on for about six days was not really needed. We’ve met literally all their requirements and are back at the negotiation table. We will resolve this,” Alausa said.
Meanwhile, the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has declared its support for ASUU and vowed to defend the academic union should the government fail to honour its commitments.
