Federal Government Releases Five Months of Academic Allowance Arrears for University Lecturers

The Federal Government has released funds to pay five months of outstanding Consolidated Academic Tools Allowance (CATA) to lecturers in federal universities, while concerns remain over unpaid Earned Academic Allowances (EAA) owed to academic staff.

The Federal Government has approved and released funds for the payment of five months of outstanding Consolidated Academic Tools Allowance (CATA) owed to eligible lecturers in federal universities across Nigeria.

The development was communicated through an official circular issued by the Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, and sent to vice-chancellors of federal universities. The directive informed university authorities that the funds had been made available for immediate payment to academic staff covered under the agreement between the government and the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU).

CATA is a special allowance provided to lecturers to support teaching, research, and professional development. It is used to cover expenses such as purchasing academic books, attending conferences, accessing the internet, publishing research papers, and maintaining membership in professional and academic organizations.

The allowance forms part of the improved welfare package agreed upon during negotiations between the Federal Government and ASUU in 2025. It was included in a broader review of lecturers’ salaries and benefits, which featured a 40 percent increase in academic staff remuneration.

According to the Minister of Education, the release of the funds demonstrates the government’s commitment to fulfilling its obligations under the agreement reached with ASUU. He instructed all vice-chancellors to ensure that outstanding CATA payments are settled without delay.

The minister also directed universities that had previously used internally generated revenue or other institutional funds to pay the allowance on behalf of the government to refund those expenditures once they receive the federal allocation.

University authorities were further advised to maintain proper records of all payments and reimbursements and to comply with established financial regulations during the disbursement process.

The payment comes at a time when concerns remain over the implementation of other aspects of the government’s agreement with ASUU. The union has repeatedly expressed dissatisfaction with delays in the payment of Earned Academic Allowances (EAA), another major component of lecturers’ welfare.

ASUU President, Prof. Chris Piwuna, recently stated that unpaid EAA had accumulated for up to 18 months as of May 2026. He warned that prolonged delays in settling the outstanding payments could lead to industrial action by university lecturers.

Unlike CATA, which is a regular allowance, EAA is paid to lecturers for carrying out additional academic responsibilities beyond normal classroom teaching. These duties include supervising postgraduate students, conducting fieldwork, moderating examinations, overseeing industrial training programmes, and participating in other approved academic activities.

The union has continued to push for the complete implementation of all agreements reached with the Federal Government, as many ASUU branches across the country remain concerned about unresolved financial commitments.

The latest release of CATA funds is expected to provide relief to lecturers and may help strengthen confidence in the government’s willingness to honour agreements aimed at improving conditions in the nation’s university system.

Earlier efforts by the government to address outstanding allowances included the release of billions of naira to university-based unions in 2025 as part of measures to clear accumulated arrears and improve industrial harmony within the education sector.

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SOURCES: ALLSCHOOL, GUARDIAN