Payment covers arrears and consequential adjustments as state moves from approval to implementation
The Ondo State Government has released funds for the payment of salary-related arrears and consequential adjustments to workers of the Olusegun Agagu University of Science and Technology (OAUSTECH), Okitipupa, under the 2025 Federal Government-university unions’ wage agreements.
OAUSTECH Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Temi Emmanuel Ologunorisa, announced the release on Wednesday, 30 September, saying the funds would be disbursed to eligible workers.
The development comes weeks after the state government approved the implementation of the Federal Government-university unions’ wage arrangements and reached a further agreement with university unions following a prolonged dispute over salaries and allowances.
The payment at OAUSTECH covers arrears and consequential adjustments linked to agreements involving the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions (NASU), Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) and National Association of Academic Technologists (NAAT), according to the university.
Why the payment matters
The development is significant because workers in Ondo State-owned tertiary institutions had previously complained about delays in implementing the new federal university pay arrangements.
In July, the Akure Zonal Chapter of ASUU accused the Ondo State Government of failing to implement the financial provisions of the 2025 Federal Government-ASUU agreement, saying the delay had left arrears accumulating.
The dispute later widened across the state-owned universities. By September, university unions were demanding implementation of the federal wage structure and outstanding allowances.
The state government and the unions reached an agreement on 21 September, including approval for the full domestication of the Federal Government-ASUU agreement on the Consolidated University Academic Salary Structure (CONUASS) for academic staff in state-owned universities. The government said implementation would take account of the state’s peculiarities.
That agreement followed an earlier government announcement in August that it had approved implementation of the FG-unions agreement and increased monthly subventions to state-owned tertiary institutions by 60%.
The latest announcement therefore moves the issue from government approval to a specific payment process at OAUSTECH.
What the 2025 agreement changed
At federal level, the renegotiated 2025 FGN-ASUU agreement was concluded in December 2025 and formally unveiled in January 2026 after a prolonged renegotiation of the 2009 agreement. The Federal Government said the deal included a 40% upward review of academic staff emoluments, effective from 1 January 2026.
The Federal Government also began implementing some components of the agreement in 2026. The National Universities Commission reported in June that funds had been released for five months of accumulated Consolidated Academic Tools Allowance (CATA) for eligible academic staff in federal universities.
However, the application of federal university agreements to state-owned institutions requires action by the respective state governments. That distinction became central to the dispute in Ondo.
OAUSTECH says payment will begin immediately
Prof. Ologunorisa said the state government’s release of the funds demonstrated its commitment to staff welfare and tertiary education.
“On behalf of the Management, Senate and Congregation of OAUSTECH, I wish to express our sincere gratitude to His Excellency, Dr. Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa, the Executive Governor of Ondo State, for releasing funds for the implementation of the 2025 Federal Government agreement with ASUU, NASU, SSANU and NAAT. This gesture is a clear testimony to Mr. Governor’s commitment to industrial harmony, staff welfare and the development of tertiary education in Ondo State. We are grateful,” the VC said.
He said the university management would ensure the immediate disbursement of the funds to beneficiaries.
He also urged workers to respond with greater dedication and productivity.
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What the unions are saying
The four unions at OAUSTECH welcomed the development.
ASUU OAUSTECH Branch Chairman, Dr Toyin Ogunbamike, described the implementation as a morale booster.
“This is highly commendable. The implementation of the 2025 FG/ASUU agreement by the Ondo State Government shows that the present administration listens to our plight. We appreciate Mr. Governor and the Vice-Chancellor for making it happen. It will definitely enhance our commitment to teaching and research,” Dr Ogunbamike said.
NASU OAUSTECH Branch Chairman, Mr Kunle Akinwonmi, said the payment had restored confidence in the government.
“We thank His Excellency, Dr. Lucky Aiyedatiwa, for keeping to his promise on workers welfare. This payment is a proof of his love for workers. We also appreciate the Vice-Chancellor for his relentless follow-up,” he said.
SSANU OAUSTECH Branch Secretary, Mr Ajayi Agboola, said the implementation could help promote industrial peace on campus.
“The payment of the 2025 agreement is timely. We are grateful to the Governor for releasing the funds and to the Vice-Chancellor for his transparent leadership. SSANU will continue to support the administration to move the University forward,” he stated.
NAAT OAUSTECH Branch Chairman, Mr Davis Bamgbola, also welcomed the development.
“NAAT is very happy with this development. We want to specially thank Mr. Governor, Dr. Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa, for this kind gesture and our hardworking Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Temi Ologunorisa, for always prioritizing staff welfare. This is a new dawn for OAUSTECH workers,” Bamgbola said.
The union leaders also pledged continued support for the Aiyedatiwa administration and the university management.
The bigger question: when will all workers receive payment?
The immediate issue for OAUSTECH workers is no longer only whether the government has approved the agreement, but whether the released funds will translate into full and timely payments.
The state government’s September agreement followed months of disagreement over salaries and allowances. Reports at the time said academic and non-academic unions in Ondo’s three state-owned universities were on an indefinite strike over unpaid allowances.
The latest OAUSTECH announcement does not state the total amount released, the number of beneficiaries or the exact value of the arrears and consequential adjustments being paid.
Those figures would help workers and the wider public assess the scale of the intervention and determine whether all outstanding obligations under the agreement have been addressed.
For students, the wider implication is the potential restoration of stability in the state’s tertiary institutions. However, the longer-term test will be whether the new arrangements are funded consistently enough to prevent another build-up of salary and allowance arrears.
For now, OAUSTECH says the money is available and that payment to beneficiaries is being processed. The next stage is to establish whether the disbursement reaches all eligible workers as promised and whether the broader wage dispute across Ondo’s state-owned tertiary institutions remains resolved.
