The Federal Government has announced the introduction of a new monthly allowance of ₦140,000 for professors in Nigerian universities, following a newly signed agreement with the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU).
The Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, made the disclosure on Wednesday while speaking on Channels Television’s Politics Today. He explained that the allowance is specifically designed for academics in the professorial cadre.
According to Alausa, full-time professors will receive an additional ₦140,000 every month, while readers will be paid about ₦70,000 as a monthly top-up. He clarified that the benefit is strictly limited to academics who are employed on a full-time basis.
“This allowance is meant for professors. If you are a full-time professor or a reader, you are entitled to this additional payment,” the minister said.
The agreement, which was formally unveiled in Abuja on Wednesday, replaces the 2009 FG–ASUU agreement. It also provides for a 40 per cent salary increase for university teaching staff, alongside the introduction of the new professorial cadre allowance.
Alausa stressed that part-time academics are not covered under the arrangement. He reiterated during the signing ceremony that only full-time professors and readers are eligible for the new allowances.
He described the approval as an acknowledgment of the heavy responsibilities carried by senior academics, including administrative duties, research commitments, and scholarly work.
According to the minister, the government has ensured that the policy is financially sustainable. He noted that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu approved the agreement only after confirming that adequate funding had been secured to support both the new allowances and the 40 per cent salary increase for lecturers across tertiary institutions.
The agreement also introduces enhanced academic allowances, bringing the total to nine, with clearly defined payment responsibilities shared between universities and the Federal Government.
