Nigeria’s Education Minister Maruf Olatunji Alausa urged vice-chancellors of federal universities to pay staff allowances promptly after a union reported remaining arrears at one campus despite federal funding releases.
In an Oct. 18 statement issued by his media adviser, Ikharo Attah, Alausa said universities should use personnel funding for the staff costs it was intended to cover. His appeal included academic and non-teaching staff allowances, as well as payments under the Consolidated Medical Salary Structure (CONMESS).
The Federal Ministry of Education said Sept. 9 that it had released funds for the Consolidated Academic Tools Allowance (CATA) covering Jan. 1 through Aug. 31, 2026. On Oct. 7, it announced funding for non-teaching staff allowances covering Jan. 1 through Aug. 31, 2026. Both releases applied to federal universities, polytechnics and colleges of education.
At Ahmadu Bello University in Zaria, the local branch of the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) said four of six months of outstanding non-teaching allowance arrears were paid during its Oct. 15 congress. Two months were still unpaid at that point.
SSANU’s national leadership suspended a strike ultimatum Oct. 16 after the government released funds for eight months of arrears covering January through August 2026. The union described the release as money for payments to staff.
The education ministry says its agreement with the Academic Staff Union of Universities provided a 40% increase in academic staff compensation effective Jan. 1, 2026, implemented through CATA. Alausa had directed vice-chancellors in February to begin CATA payments using available resources and salary commission guidelines.
The ministry has cited delayed agreements and recurring strikes as causes of disrupted academic calendars, with students and families bearing lost time and costs. It has announced plans to broaden a committee monitoring the 2026 staff agreements to cover both academic and non-academic unions.
