The Federal Government has offered a 40 per cent salary increase to members of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), signalling a major move to prevent another nationwide shutdown of public universities.

Government negotiators tabled the proposal before ASUU’s National Executive Council (NEC) at a meeting in Abuja, marking one of the most significant wage offers to university lecturers in recent years.

ASUU’s NEC is now expected to subject the proposal to internal scrutiny before the union’s negotiation team reconvenes with government representatives for formal bargaining. According to union officials, the review will determine whether the offer meets the expectations of lecturers, who have consistently lamented poor remuneration and worsening conditions across public universities.

The development comes at a time of rising tension among students, parents, and education stakeholders who fear renewed academic disruptions if the talks collapse.

Although ASUU has yet to issue an official stance on the proposed 40 per cent raise, its leaders have assured that every offer will be thoroughly evaluated in line with the union’s established decision-making process.