By: IndyPress News Desk 

The Federal Government has approved an additional ₦1.8 million annual allowance for full-time professors in federal tertiary institutions under a newly created Professorial Cadre Allowance.

The Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, disclosed this on Wednesday, January 14, 2026, during the official signing ceremony of the renegotiated 2009 Federal Government–ASUU Agreement in Abuja.

According to the Education minister, the allowance as approved by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu also applies to full-time readers, marking the first time such a cadre-specific allowance has been introduced.

“President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has created another category of allowances called the Professorial Cadre Allowance. For the first time, the Federal Government has approved a new Professorial Cadre Allowance,” Dr. Alausa said.

He clarified that the allowance applies strictly to full-time professors and readers, excluding part-time academic staff.

“This allowance applies to senior academics at the level of full-time professors and readers in tertiary institutions. It does not apply to part-time professors and readers,” he stated.

Alausa explained that the allowance is designed to support research coordination, academic documentation, correspondence, and administrative efficiency, enabling senior academics to focus more effectively on teaching, mentorship, innovation, and global knowledge production.

Under the approved structure, professors will receive an additional ₦1.8 million per annum, translating to about ₦140,000 monthly, while readers will earn ₦840,000 annually, equivalent to ₦70,000 per month.

The minister also recalled that the remuneration package of academic staff in federal tertiary institutions has been reviewed by the National Salaries, Income and Wages Commission, with effect from January 1, 2026.