By Yusuf Danjuma Yunusa

The Federal Government has finalized and unveiled a comprehensive renegotiated agreement with the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU).

The Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, presented the agreement in Abuja on Wednesday, framing it as the culmination of President Bola Tinubu’s direct intervention to secure lasting stability, rebuild trust, and restore quality to the nation’s tertiary education.

“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,” Alausa stated. “Under President Tinubu’s leadership, we deliberately chose dialogue over discord, reform over delay, and resolution over rhetoric.”

Key Provisions of the Agreement

The cornerstone of the pact is a significant review of remuneration for academic staff in federal institutions, approved by the National Salaries, Income and Wages Commission and backdated to take effect from January 1, 2026.

A major highlight is a 40% upward review of total emoluments, implemented through a newly established Consolidated Academic Tools Allowance. This allowance, now integrated into the salary structure, is designed to cover essential academic expenses including journal publications, conference participation, internet access, learned society memberships, and book allowances.

To promote transparency and productivity, nine previously contentious Earned Academic Allowances have been clearly structured and tied directly to specific duties performed.

In a groundbreaking development, the government has introduced a first-of-its-kind Professorial Credit Allowance, recognizing the elevated scholarly and administrative burdens on senior academics. Under this new structure: Professors will receive an additional N1.8 million per annum (approximately N140,000 monthly), while Academic Readers will receive N840,000 per annum (approximately N70,000 monthly).

This allowance is intended to support research coordination, academic documentation, and administrative tasks, freeing senior academics to focus on teaching, mentorship, and innovation.

The government has signaled its commitment by immediately commencing implementation. A circular from the National Salaries, Income and Wages Commission, dated December 30, 2025, has been issued to enact the new wage components.

ASUU President, Prof. Chris Pinuwa, provided the historical context, noting that the agreement concludes a renegotiation process that began in 2017 for a pact originally due for review in 2012. He recounted that successive renegotiation committees under previous administrations—chaired by Wale Babalakin, Munzali Jibrin, and Nimi Briggs—had failed to produce a collective bargaining agreement.

The current administration inaugurated a new committee chaired by Alhaji Yayale Ahmed in October 2024, which reached this consensus approximately 14 months later. The final agreement comprehensively addresses conditions of service, university funding, autonomy, and academic freedom.

By Yusuf Danjuma Yunusa

The Federal Government of Nigeria has entered into a $9 million contract with a Washington-based lobbying firm, DCI Group, to influence the U.S. government’s perception of Nigeria’s efforts to protect its Christian communities.

The agreement, signed since last year is facilitated by the Kaduna-based law firm Aster Legal on behalf of Nigeria’s National Security Adviser (NSA), Nuhu Ribadu. Documents filed with the U.S. Department of Justice, first reported by TheCable, outline the contract’s scope and financial terms.

Under the deal, DCI Group is tasked with assisting the Nigerian government in “communicating its actions to protect Nigerian Christian communities and maintaining U.S. support in countering West African jihadist groups and other destabilizing elements.”

The contract stipulates a monthly fee of $750,000, totaling $9 million over a 12-month period. It commenced with an initial six-month term ending June 30, 2026, and includes a clause for automatic renewal for another six months. Records show Nigeria made an upfront payment of $4.5 million on December 12, 2025, covering the first half of the contract. A second installment is due upon completion of the initial term.

The agreement allows either party to terminate “for any reason without penalty” by providing 60 days’ written notice.

This lobbying initiative follows heightened diplomatic tensions between Abuja and Washington over allegations of religious persecution.

In October 2025, U.S. President Donald Trump redesignated Nigeria as a “country of particular concern,” citing violence against Christians. Nigerian officials have consistently refuted these claims, attributing the nation’s violence to terrorism, banditry, and communal conflicts rather than religious targeting.

Pressure escalated in November when Trump suggested the U.S. might intervene more directly, warning of potential military action to protect Christians. The situation intensified on Christmas Day, when the U.S. military conducted airstrikes against terrorist targets in Sokoto State’s Bauni Forest a move signaling deeper U.S. involvement in Nigeria’s counterterrorism operations.

In response to the U.S. designation, the Nigerian government had previously committed to engaging Washington “through diplomatic and legal channels” to address what it describes as misconceptions regarding the safety of Christian communities.

Yakubu Mohammed, a co-founder of Newswatch magazine and its former deputy chief executive officer, has died at the age of 75.

He was reported to have been battling an undisclosed ailment before his death. As of press time, an official statement from his family was still awaited.

His death comes barely two months after the passing of his long-time colleague and fellow Newswatch co-founder, Dan Agbese, who died after a prolonged illness on November 17, 2025.

Vanguard