The federal government has released funds to pay five months’ worth of accrued Consolidated Academic Tools Allowance owed to lecturers at federal universities, and vice-chancellors have been asked to clear all pending payments promptly.
A letter exclusively from the Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, instructed vice-chancellors of federal universities to ensure the prompt disbursement of the funds to eligible academic staff.
The directive, dated June 4, 2026, was issued to vice-chancellors of federal universities and is part of the Federal Government’s implementation of agreements struck with the Academic Staff Union of Universities.
According to the minister, the funds were released in accordance with the terms of the 2025 agreement agreed between the federal government and the union.
“The Federal Government has released funds for the payment of five (5) months’ Consolidated Academic Tools Allowance to eligible academic staff of federal universities, in accordance with the provisions of the signed FGN/ASUU 2025 Agreement and in fulfilment of the FGN’s commitment to effective implementation of the Agreement,” the letter stated.
Alausa directed vice-chancellors to ensure that all outstanding allowance payments are settled without delay.
“Consequently, you are requested to ensure the immediate clearance of all outstanding CATA payments due to lecturers and other eligible academic staff in your university,” the minister directed.
The letter also addressed universities that may have previously supported allowance payments with internal income or other institutional funds.
The minister expects such institutions to reimburse expenses to the appropriate university accounts and budget heads whenever the federal government contribution is received.
“If the university used its own money or funds from other sources to pay the allowance starting January 2026, it should refund those amounts to the right university accounts and budgets once it receives the federal government funding,” the letter added.
“You are also requested to ensure strict compliance with extant financial regulations and maintain proper records of all payments and reimbursements effected under this arrangement,” he stated.
Alausa called on the vice-chancellors to treat the matter with urgency.
“Kindly accord this matter the highest priority and urgency,” the minister said.
The development is likely to provide relief to thousands of academics at federal universities, many of whom have long grumbled about delays in the payment of welfare benefits.
The Consolidated Academic Tools Allowance is intended to support lecturers’ professional activities, such as research, academic publications, internet access, teaching materials, and other tools required for effective teaching and scholarship.
The payment of the allowance has long been a key point of contention in negotiations between the federal government and the Academic Staff Union of Universities, with a prominent role in discussions about lecturers’ welfare and university funding.
The union has pressured successive administrations to implement agreements on earned allowances, revitalisation funds, salary issues, and working conditions.
Disputes over these issues have frequently resulted in statewide strikes, which hindered academic activities and extended students’ stay at universities.
In 2025, the federal government and ASUU negotiated a new deal to resolve some of the persisting challenges plaguing university teachers and improve industrial peace in the tertiary education sector.
Education stakeholders have frequently claimed that timely payment of allowances and adherence to agreements are critical to improving employee morale, increasing research output, and strengthening the country’s higher education system.
The new release of funding is thus viewed as part of the federal government’s ongoing attempts to maintain stability in public universities and avoid industrial disputes that could interrupt the academic calendar.
