By Fatima Mukhtar
The Federal Government has released ₦2.3 billion to settle outstanding salary and promotion arrears owed to university lecturers across the country.
According to a statement from the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation (OAGF), the payment represents Batch 8 of accumulated entitlements to academic staff in federal universities. The move follows months of dialogue between the Federal Government and the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU).
The payment, which has begun reaching institutions, is part of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration’s efforts to restore trust, stability, and efficiency in Nigeria’s higher education system.
In a statement released on Tuesday, the Federal Ministry of Education reaffirmed that the government remains committed to addressing the welfare of lecturers while driving long-term reforms in the sector.
“This disbursement demonstrates the President’s sincerity in resolving pending issues affecting university staff welfare. The administration is determined to create a fair and sustainable framework that supports both lecturers and the educational system,” the statement read.
The government also assured that future payments will be integrated into a broader education reform plan, including the full incorporation of the Earned Academic Allowance (EAA) into salaries by 2026.
However, reports indicate that while some lecturers have started receiving their payments, others are yet to, prompting calls for speedy completion of the process across all universities.
Observers say the ₦2.3 billion disbursement is a crucial step toward restoring industrial peace in Nigerian universities, which have been frequently disrupted by strikes over unpaid salaries, poor infrastructure, and policy inconsistencies.
Education analysts, however, stress the need for the reforms to go beyond salary payments and address systemic issues such as research funding, university autonomy, and the improvement of learning facilities.
President Tinubu, through his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, noted that the education sector remains a cornerstone of the administration’s Renewed Hope Agenda, promising continuous collaboration with unions and stakeholders to achieve sustainable development in the sector.
The Federal Government further pledged that all future exercises of financial disbursement to lecturers would follow a transparent and accountable process, ensuring that only verified beneficiaries are paid in line with laid-down procedures.
The move, many believe, could mark a turning point in rebuilding confidence between the government and academic unions, a relationship that has long been strained by years of neglect and broken promises.
About The Author
