The Federal Government has released funds to pay five months of accumulated Consolidated Academic Tools Allowance owed to lecturers in federal universities and has directed vice-chancellors to immediately clear all outstanding payments.
A letter exclusively obtained by The showed that 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 addressed to vice-chancellors of federal universities and forms part of the Federal Government’s implementation of agreements reached with the Academic Staff Union of Universities.
According to the minister, the funds were released in line with the provisions of the 2025 agreement signed 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 subsequently ordered 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 funded the allowance payments from their internally generated revenue or other institutional sources.
According to the minister, such institutions are expected to refund the expenditures to the appropriate university accounts and budget heads once the Federal Government allocation is received.
“Where the university had advanced funds from its Internally Generated Revenue or any other institutional source for the payment of the allowance from January 2026, appropriate steps should be taken to refund such amounts to the relevant university accounts and budget heads upon receipt of the Federal Government allocation,” the letter added.
The minister further directed university authorities to maintain strict compliance with financial regulations and to ensure proper documentation of all payments and reimbursements made under the arrangement.
“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 urged the vice-chancellors to treat the matter with urgency.
“Kindly accord this matter the highest priority and urgency,” the minister said.
The development is expected to bring relief to thousands of lecturers across federal universities, many of whom have long complained about delays in the payment of welfare-related entitlements.
The Consolidated Academic Tools Allowance is designed to support lecturers’ professional activities, including research, academic publications, internet access, teaching materials and other tools necessary for effective teaching and scholarship.
The payment of the allowance has remained a major issue in negotiations between the Federal Government and the Academic Staff Union of Universities over the years, featuring prominently in discussions on lecturers’ welfare and university funding.
Successive administrations have faced pressure from the union over the implementation of agreements relating to earned allowances, revitalisation funds, salary issues and conditions of service.
Disputes over these matters have often culminated in nationwide strikes that disrupted academic activities and prolonged students’ stay in universities.
In 2025, the Federal Government and ASUU reached a fresh agreement aimed at addressing some of the lingering issues affecting university lecturers and improving industrial harmony within the tertiary education sector.
Education stakeholders have repeatedly argued that prompt payment of allowances and adherence to agreements are essential to improving staff morale, boosting research productivity and strengthening the quality of higher education in the country.
The latest release of funds is therefore seen as part of ongoing efforts by the Federal Government to sustain stability in public universities and avert industrial disputes that could disrupt the academic calendar.