Nigerian university lecturers are calling on the Federal Government to institutionalize a reliable funding model for professors that mirrors the retirement structures of the military and the judiciary.
Following the landmark agreement signed between the Federal Government and the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) on Wednesday, January 14, 2026, senior academics who retire at the statutory age of 70 are now entitled to a pension equivalent to 100 percent of their final annual salary.
To ensure the sustainability of this provision, lecturers are urging for a dedicated “Defined Benefit” style funding mechanism similar to those used for retired judges, permanent secretaries, and military generals, rather than relying solely on the standard Contributory Pension Scheme (CPS).
The new agreement, which officially took effect on January 1, 2026, marks a major shift in academic welfare aimed at curbing the “Japa” syndrome and retaining veteran scholars within the public university system.
Under the current structure, the Federal Government is responsible for covering any shortfall between a professor’s Retirement Savings Account (RSA) balance and their guaranteed full-salary benefit. Education Minister Dr. Tunji Alausa described the deal as a historic turning point, noting that President Bola Tinubu has prioritized education as a cornerstone of national development.
The pact also introduces a new “Professorial Cadre Allowance” of 140,000 Naira monthly for professors and 70,000 Naira for readers to support research and administrative documentation.
Beyond pensions, the 35-page agreement includes a 40 percent upward review of academic wages and the establishment of a 30 billion Naira Stabilisation and Restoration Fund for universities.
This fund will be disbursed in three annual installments of 10 billion Naira from 2026 to 2028 to modernize laboratories and libraries. The deal also proposes the creation of a National Research Council with a statutory allocation of at least one percent of Nigeria’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
However, some financial analysts have raised concerns about the long-term feasibility of these commitments, warning that without a clearly defined and legislated funding source, the 100 percent pension promise could face future fiscal challenges.
The implementation of these benefits has already triggered a broader debate within the public sector, with other labor unions like SSANU and NASU demanding similar renegotiations to prevent industrial disharmony.
As the 2026 budget debates continue in the National Assembly, the focus remains on whether the government will formally codify these pension rights into law to prevent a return to the stalled negotiations of the past 16 years. For now, the academic community remains cautiously optimistic that this “Defined Benefit” exception for senior scholars will provide the necessary dignity and financial security required to revitalize Nigeria’s tertiary education sector.
