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The Federal Government has pledged to finally sign and fully implement the long-standing 2009 agreement with the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), with effect from January 2026.

The Minister of Education, Tunji Alausa, made this known on Wednesday while speaking on Channels Television’s 2025 In Retrospect programme. According to him, the formal signing of the agreement is scheduled for January 14, 2026.

“By January 2026, the 2009 agreement will be signed and fully implemented. This administration does not make empty promises. When commitments are made, they are fulfilled,” the minister said.

Mr Alausa expressed confidence that the signing of the agreement, alongside ongoing reforms in the education sector, would permanently end recurring strike actions by ASUU.

“With the signing of this agreement and the reforms we have put in place, ASUU strikes should become a thing of the past. Our students deserve uninterrupted education, and that is what we are committed to delivering,” he stated.

Emphasising the Federal Government’s resolve to stabilise the university system, the minister noted that prolonged strikes have significantly disrupted students’ academic timelines over the years.

“If you add up the days and months lost to strikes, some students have lost almost four academic years. That is unacceptable. A four-year course must remain four years. We will not accommodate disruptions that keep our children out of school,” he said.

On staff welfare, Mr Alausa revealed that academic staff would benefit from a substantial salary adjustment as part of the agreement.

“Academic staff members will receive a 40 per cent salary increase in 2026. This has never happened before. President Bola Tinubu made it happen. The official signing will take place on January 14,” he added.

Reviewing the performance of the education sector in 2025, the minister stated that budgetary allocations were effectively utilised to improve infrastructure across public institutions.

He disclosed that funds were deployed for the construction of learning spaces, laboratories, engineering workshops, lecture theatres and faculty offices nationwide.

“In the past two years, we have recorded the highest budgetary allocation to education in the history of this country. The platform is there, and the funds are being channelled directly into interventions that matter,” he said.

Mr Alausa further noted that universities across the country are currently undergoing massive upgrades, including the construction of new classrooms and schools in 18 states, laboratory upgrades in thousands of institutions, and the retention and retraining of teachers through digital platforms.

The minister reaffirmed the administration’s commitment to delivering a stable, well-funded and strike-free university system for Nigerian students.

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