By Erewunmi Peace

The Federal Government of Nigeria has released the sum of ₦2.3 billion to settle outstanding salary and promotion arrears owed to lecturers in federal universities across the country.

According to the Federal Ministry of Education, the payment represents Batch 8 of the arrears and was approved by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu as part of his administration’s ongoing commitment to revitalise the nation’s tertiary education sector.

A statement released by the ministry revealed that the funds were disbursed through the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation (OAGF) and will cover backlog payments to academic staff under the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) and other university-based unions.

“The Federal Government remains committed to ensuring that Nigerian lecturers are motivated and properly compensated for their work. We will continue to engage stakeholders towards long-term reforms in the education sector,” the statement read.

The ministry also announced plans to integrate Earned Academic Allowances (EAA) into university salaries from 2026, alongside the resolution of third-party deductions and pension arrears affecting academic and non-academic staff.

Meanwhile, ASUU has acknowledged receipt of the notice and urged the government to maintain consistency in addressing lingering issues that have triggered industrial actions in the past.

The ₦2.3 billion payment is expected to bring some relief to university workers and improve morale as the government pledges broader reforms aimed at improving funding, infrastructure, and research capacity across tertiary institutions.