The Federal Government has said the 2025 agreement signed with the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) is designed to strengthen autonomy safeguards and ensure long-term stability in the tertiary education sector.

The Bureau of Public Service Reforms (BPSR) Director-General Dasuki Arabi said this during a working visit to the University of Abuja, according to a statement yesterday.

Arabi noted that the agreement, set to take effect from January 2026, introduces a 40 per cent pay raise, enhanced research funding, and improved severance entitlements for academic staff.

He said the 2025 FGNASUU agreement seeks to strengthen autonomy safeguards, adding that successive administrations have remained committed to addressing structural issues such as funding gaps and governance concerns.

According to him, the government has consistently increased university funding over the years, bolstered by infrastructural interventions from the Tertiary Education Trust Fund and other federal initiatives. Regarding educational access, the director-general highlighted the Student Loan Scheme as a pivotal intervention to remove financial barriers for indigent students.

“The implementation of the Students’ Loan Scheme is a significant step towards expanding access to higher education. It is structured to ensure that no willing and qualified student is left behind while promoting sustainability in the sector,” he said.