The Nigerian Government has pledged to fulfil its commitments to tertiary institution workers as it unveiled the 2026 agreements reached with staff unions, with a renewed emphasis on implementation and industrial harmony.
The Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, gave the assurance in Abuja during the unveiling of the agreements, saying the government was committed to implementing the terms reached with the unions.
He said the agreements aligned with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, which seeks to ensure that students complete four-year programmes within the stipulated period.
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He stressed that the government must demonstrate its commitment through faithful implementation of the agreements.
Alausa explained that the agreements covered the Consolidated Academic Tools Allowance (CATA) for the Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP) and the Colleges of Education Academic Staff Union (COEASU), as well as the Consolidated Non-Teaching Tools Allowance (CONTTA) for non-teaching staff unions across tertiary institutions.
According to him, the allowances took effect from January 1, 2026, in line with the agreements and applicable implementation guidelines.
He said “the allowances were designed to support the professional and operational needs of eligible staff, adding that improved welfare, motivation and access to appropriate working resources were essential to raising educational standards”.
The minister also announced the expansion of the Implementation and Monitoring Committee (IMC) to cover academic and non-academic staff unions across universities, polytechnics and colleges of education.
He said the committee would monitor compliance with the agreements, assess progress, address implementation challenges and promote accountability through periodic reports.
The initiative, he added, would provide a common platform for the government and unions to track agreed milestones, resolve emerging concerns and prevent industrial disputes from disrupting academic activities.
Alausa called for fair treatment of staff, transparent promotion processes, occupational safety and improved career advancement opportunities. He urged government agencies, governing councils and institutional managements to comply with the implementation guidelines.
He noted that delays in fulfilling previous agreements had weakened trust between the government and staff unions, contributing to recurring industrial actions that disrupted academic calendars, affected research and placed additional financial burdens on families.
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The Chairman of the Federal Government Tertiary Institutions Expanded Negotiation Committee, Alhaji Yayale Ahmed, commended the government and the unions for reaching the agreements through collective bargaining, dialogue and mutual understanding.
Ahmed urged the unions to exercise patience during implementation, noting that administrative processes could sometimes take time.
Similarly, the President of the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU), Mr Mohammed Ibrahim, commended the government and the education minister for addressing longstanding workers’ concerns.
He said the payment of outstanding salary arrears and the implementation of the allowances had boosted staff morale.
However, Ibrahim urged the government to fulfil all provisions of the agreements, warning that the payment of allowances should not overshadow other outstanding commitments.
“There are other non-financial commitments in the agreement which the government needs to promptly implement,” he said.
The SSANU president expressed confidence that the expanded committee would accelerate the resolution of pending issues, strengthen relations between the government and the unions, and help ensure uninterrupted academic activities.
The minister presented the signed agreements to representatives of the participating unions, including ASUP, COEASU, SSANU, the Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions (NASU) and the Nigerian Association of Academic Technologists (NAAT), among others.
