The Federal Government has released N50 billion from the N200 billion Needs Assessment Fund (NAF) promised under its recent agreement with the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU).

The Minister of Education, Tunji Alausa, said additional N50 billion would be released soon, bringing the total disbursement to N100 billion.

Meanwhile, former Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic) of the University of Ibadan, Prof Ezekiel Ayoola, called on the government to extend the recently approved academic allowances to emeritus professors, describing the move as essential to sustaining research excellence and mentorship in Nigerian universities.

According to the minister, the education ministry will meet with the heads of universities, polytechnics and colleges of education to determine how the fund will be utilised.

The NAF forms part of the 2009 agreement between ASUU and the Federal Government, which remained unresolved for more than a decade. The agreement, originally due for renegotiation in 2013, was finally concluded on December 23, 2025, and officially unveiled on January 14. Alausa said implementation of the renegotiated 2025 agreement began immediately after it was signed.

“This is not about showmanship or grandstanding. The implementation circular was issued before the end of December,” he said. He noted that the agreement helped stabilise the university system, pointing out that federal universities had not experienced any strike in the past two academic sessions.

The minister also revealed that the ministry established a labour and union activities unit to ensure proper implementation of agreements reached with workers’ unions.

Addressing the issue of unpaid salaries from the 2022 ASUU strike, Alausa said President Bola Tinubu only approved payment of half of the eight-month arrears, a commitment he said had already been fulfilled.

Ayoola made the case for emeritus professors during a chat with The Guardian in Ibadan, Oyo State, where he expressed concern over what he described as the neglect of highly experienced scholars, who continue to contribute to academic development after retirement.

According to him, emeritus professors are senior academics who retired after spending between 15 and 20 years at the professorial level and are still actively involved in research, supervision and intellectual engagements.

He noted that despite their contributions, many of them were appointed to emeritus positions without salaries, allowances or structured financial support.

“Emeritus professors are appointed without pay, yet they continue to serve the university system diligently. They remain active in research and mentorship, but they are often left without any form of financial backing.

“The government should extend the recent allowances approved for scholars in service to them,” Ayoola said. (The Guardian)