The Federal Government has announced the implementation of approved allowances for eligible academic and non-academic workers in federal universities, polytechnics and colleges of education, under agreements signed with staff unions.
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The Minister of Education, Dr Maruf Tunji Alausa, disclosed the development in Abuja on Tuesday, October 13, 2026, during the unveiling of the 2026 agreements between the government and unions representing tertiary institution personnel.
According to the Federal Ministry of Education, the agreements provide for the Consolidated Academic Tools Allowance (CATA) for eligible academic staff of the Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP) and the Colleges of Education Academic Staff Union (COEASU), alongside the Consolidated Non-Teaching Tools Allowance, referred to in the release as CONTTA, for eligible non-teaching personnel across tertiary institutions.
The ministry said the approved allowances took effect from January 1, 2026, in line with the agreed provisions and implementation guidelines. It did not state individual payment amounts in the announcement.
Alausa described the agreements as a milestone in the Federal Government’s efforts to improve staff welfare, restore confidence in collective bargaining and strengthen industrial harmony across the tertiary education sector.
He said longstanding disputes and delays in reaching agreements had contributed to recurring strikes, disrupted academic calendars and prolonged students’ academic programmes. The new agreements, he said, were intended to address these challenges and support the government’s objective of ensuring four-year academic programmes are completed within four years.
The minister said improved staff welfare, professional resources, fair promotion processes, occupational safety and career advancement opportunities were important to building a motivated workforce and improving teaching, research and learning.
The announcement also follows earlier government updates on the allowances. In September, the National Universities Commission reported the release of CATA for academic staff in federal universities, polytechnics and colleges of education for the January-to-August 2026 period. In October, the Federal Ministry of Information and National Orientation announced the release of the non-academic allowance for eligible staff in federal tertiary institutions for the same eight-month period.
The latest unveiling of agreements is therefore part of a wider process of implementing negotiated terms and monitoring compliance across institutions. Workers should confirm their individual payment status through their institution’s management or payroll office, as eligibility and processing may depend on the applicable agreement and administrative procedures.
To strengthen accountability, Alausa announced that the existing Implementation and Monitoring Committee established for the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) agreement would be expanded to cover academic and non-academic staff unions. The committee is expected to track implementation milestones, assess progress, identify challenges and issue periodic reports. The government is also considering making the committee permanent.
The Minister of State for Education, Professor Suwaiba Sa’id Ahmad, described the agreements as an important step towards improving staff welfare and promoting a stable, productive tertiary education system. She urged all parties to fulfil their obligations and ensure the agreements result in better morale, stronger governance and improved service delivery.
The Acting Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Education, Dr Folake Olatunji-David, called for mutual trust, cooperation and faithful implementation. She said the joint monitoring framework would help resolve challenges and safeguard industrial harmony.
The Executive Secretary of the National Universities Commission (NUC), Professor Abdullahi Yusuf Ribadu, said the agreements must pass through appropriate administrative procedures before implementation is completed. The Executive Secretary of the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund), Arc. Sonny S.T. Echono, also stressed the importance of policy continuity and sustained investment.
The agreements provide for a three-year review, allowing government and unions to assess implementation and address emerging concerns through continued engagement.
What eligible workers should do
Academic and non-academic staff should check official notices from their institutions, confirm their eligibility under the relevant agreement and contact their payroll or human resources office about payment status. The announcement did not provide a public application portal or a universal individual payment amount, where necessary.
