Nigeria, Nov. 20 -- The federal government, on Friday, during a meeting with the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) shifted grounds when it offered a total sum of N65 billion to Nigerian universities to address some of its demands. It also said the lecturers will now be paid their salary arrears on an older platform, different from the controversial IPPIS.

The money seeks to address the issue of earned allowances and "revitalisation of universities".

Giving a breakdown of the cash, the minister of labour, Chris Ngige, said the Accountant General of the Federation has offered to release N40 billion "or in the alternative, N35 billion to be shared by all the registered trade unions in the universities after providing necessary ev...