Retired professors in recognised public universities will now receive pension benefits equivalent to their annual salaries, following a new agreement between the Federal Government and the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU). The agreement provides that academic staff who retire at the rank of professor will be entitled to a pension calculated at 100 per cent of their annual salary, representing a major improvement in post-retirement welfare for senior academics.
According to the 35-page document obtained by The Guardian, the benefit applies only to professors who served continuously in a recognised university until the mandatory retirement age. The agreement also fixes the retirement age for the professorial cadre at 70 years. Section 3.6 of the pact states that any academic staff member who retires as a professor in a recognised university shall be entitled to a pension equivalent to their annual salary, provided they meet the continuity of service requirement.
Stakeholders who spoke at the unveiling of the agreement on Wednesday in Abuja said the provisions were designed to reward decades of teaching, research and administrative service, while boosting morale in the university system. They noted that the measures could help retain experienced academics and curb the mass exit of scholars, commonly referred to as the “Japa syndrome,” which ASUU said saw at least 309 professors leave public universities in a single month in 2025. The agreement also introduces improved non-salary conditions of service, including a six-month maternity leave for qualified female academic staff in line with existing Public Service Rules.