The Federal Government has commenced the final phase of negotiations with the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) and other tertiary education unions.
The Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, disclosed this in Abuja on Wednesday during a meeting of the Technical Working Group on Conditions of Service of ASUU.
Alausa expressed optimism that all outstanding issues would soon be resolved to avert further industrial action.
He explained that the group was finalising a counter-offer to be presented to the unions through the Allied General United Federal Government Tertiary Institutions Negotiations Committee.
According to him, the committee’s work aligns with President Bola Tinubu’s directive that all necessary steps must be taken to keep Nigerian students in school and prevent disruptions to the academic calendar.
*“The President has made it clear that our children must remain in school. The technical working group is working to finalise a component of the condition of service that has to be proposed. They are working to finalise a counter-offer to them.
“Hopefully, by the end of today or latest tomorrow, the Allied General United Federal Government Tertiary Institutions Expected Negotiations Committee will receive that counter-offer to ASUU,”* he said.
The minister noted that about 80 per cent of the unions’ demands were similar across tertiary institutions, with the remaining 20 per cent reflecting sector-specific concerns.
He said the committee, inaugurated earlier in the week, had begun intensive deliberations to fast-track agreement and implementation timelines.
Alausa added that the administration had made significant progress with the payment of ₦50 billion as Earned Academic Allowance approved by President Tinubu.
*“In addition, ₦150 billion was included in the 2025 budget for needs assessment, and this will be released in three tranches, with the first ₦50 billion ready.
“They (lecturers) deserve to be paid well, both academic and non-academic staff. But we can’t give everything at once. It’s our commitment to ensure substantial benefits and financial reward to them,”* he said.
He also confirmed that promotion arrears and other outstanding allowances, including teaching and wage awards, had been addressed, while all remaining areas would be cleared by 2026.
Reiterating the government’s commitment to mutual respect and sustainable solutions, Alausa appealed to academic and non-academic unions to exercise patience and avoid strikes as a first resort.
*“We have resolved a lot of these issues. But we know the final part is the condition of service. We will resolve that as well.
“So we are pleading with the unions to be patient. This government is sincere and truthful. We have shown this over the last 24 months since President Tinubu came on board,”* he added.
Alausa further revealed that, for the first time, the Solicitor General of the Federation and officials of the Ministry of Justice were directly involved in the negotiation process to ensure legal soundness and enforceability of all agreements reached.
(NAN)