After months of negotiations, the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) and the Federal Government (FG) have finally reached an agreement, bringing an end to the strike action that has kept Nigerian students at home for over nine months.

The ASUU-FG agreement followed a series of meetings and negotiations between the two parties, which took place in Abuja, Nigeria`s capital city. The agreement covers several issues, including the payment of academic allowances, the implementation of a new salary structure for university lecturers, and the funding of Nigerian universities.

One of the key issues that led to the strike action was the non-payment of academic allowances. The ASUU had demanded that the government release the funds owed to its members for several years. The FG, on its part, expressed its willingness to pay the allowances but pointed out that the money had not been released due to the lack of funds.

The new agreement reached between the two parties mandates the FG to release the funds for the payment of academic allowances. ASUU members will also receive their earned allowances for the previous years as agreed in the Memorandum of Action signed in 2019.

Another critical issue addressed in the agreement is the implementation of a new salary structure for university lecturers. This new salary structure, known as the Integrated Personnel and Payroll Information System (IPPIS), aims to eliminate discrepancies in the payment of salaries to lecturers and other university staff.

The agreement states that universities will have until May 2021 to complete their enrolment on the IPPIS platform. After that deadline, any lecturer who is not on the IPPIS will not receive their salary.

Lastly, the agreement also covers the funding of Nigerian universities. The FG agreed to release the sum of N30 billion to universities for the revitalisation of infrastructure facilities in the institutions. This funding is in addition to the N20 billion released to the universities earlier in 2020.

In conclusion, the ASUU-FG agreement is a significant milestone in Nigerian education. It signals the end of a long and difficult strike action and provides some much-needed relief to students across the country. With this agreement, both parties have demonstrated their commitment to the advancement of education in Nigeria and the welfare of university lecturers.