The Federal Government of Nigeria has approved the exemption of universities, polytechnics, colleges of education, and other tertiary institutions from the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS).
This decision means that remunerations for staff members in these institutions will no longer flow through the IPPIS platform.
The Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, announced the exemption after a Federal Executive Council meeting in Abuja.
The government stated that the IPPIS did not allow tertiary institutions the freedom to manage their affairs.
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The Minister of Education, Prof. Tahir Mamman, explained that the goal is to enhance the efficient management of public educational institutions nationwide.
He emphasized that the decision is not related to the integrity of IPPIS or other similar systems but focuses on ensuring autonomy for universities as granted by their respective acts.
The introduction of IPPIS in 2006 aimed to improve transparency, accountability, and save costs in salary payments.
However, the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has opposed its implementation, arguing that it undermines university autonomy and does not accommodate the unique nature of academic work.
ASUU has proposed an alternative system called the University Transparency and Accountability Solution (UTAS).
The exemption comes amid ongoing tensions and strikes related to the implementation of IPPIS in universities.
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