The Federal Government has pledged to honour its agreements with tertiary institution workers, saying Nigerian students should no longer lose valuable academic time to strikes arising from unfulfilled commitments.
The Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, gave the assurance on Tuesday in Abuja while unveiling the 2026 agreements between the government and academic and non-academic staff unions in universities, polytechnics and colleges of education.
Alausa said the administration of President Bola Tinubu was determined to end recurring industrial disputes and disruptions to academic calendars, insisting that a four-year degree programme should be completed within four years.
He said 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. The allowances are scheduled to take effect from January 1, 2026, in line with the agreements and implementation guidelines.
The minister acknowledged that the real test would be the faithful implementation of the provisions, noting that previous agreements had often been undermined by delayed or unfulfilled government commitments.
To prevent future disagreements from escalating into strikes, Alausa announced plans to expand the existing Implementation and Monitoring Committee established for the agreement with the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU).
The expanded committee will monitor agreements with academic and non-academic staff unions across tertiary institutions, track implementation milestones, identify challenges and recommend solutions before unresolved issues disrupt academic activities. The government also plans to make the committee a permanent structure.
Alausa urged government agencies, governing councils and institutional managements to comply with the agreements and cooperate with the committee. He also encouraged union leaders to communicate concerns through established channels and pursue grievances through dialogue.
He said the agreements reflected the government’s recognition that staff welfare was essential to improving the quality of tertiary education. Beyond allowances, he highlighted fair treatment, transparent promotion processes, occupational safety and career advancement as important aspects of workers’ wellbeing.
Chairman of the Federal Government Tertiary Institutions Expanded Negotiation Committee, Malam Yayale Ahmed, said successful implementation would depend on cooperation and a spirit of give-and-take between the government and labour unions.
Ahmed described the unveiling as the beginning of the implementation process, stressing that the government must be willing and able to fulfil the agreements. He also disclosed that discrepancies had been identified in some provisions and would be addressed in collaboration with the Ministry of Education and the National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission.
He commended Alausa, the Minister of State for Education, Prof. Suwaiba Ahmad, and President Tinubu for their roles in the negotiations, while urging all parties to ensure the agreements were implemented as stipulated.
Speaking on behalf of the unions, ASUP National President, Comrade Shammah Kpanja, described the negotiations as the fastest in the union’s history. He said discussions began in December 2025 and culminated in the signing of the agreement in April 2026.
Kpanja disclosed that implementation had commenced, with members receiving outstanding arrears between July and September, but urged the government to fulfil the remaining provisions. He also expressed hope that the joint implementation committee would accelerate progress before the end of the year.
Similarly, COEASU President, Dr Lawal Bazza, said more than 70 per cent of the agreement had been implemented in the colleges of education subsector. He expressed confidence that the expanded committee would help resolve outstanding issues.
The agreements were presented to representatives of ASUP, COEASU, the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU), the Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions (NASU), the National Association of Academic Technologists (NAAT) and other unions representing workers in tertiary institutions.
Alausa said the government would continue engaging the unions to sustain industrial harmony, while the agreements provide for a review every three years to address emerging concerns and mutually agreed adjustments.
The success of the pact will ultimately depend on whether the government meets its obligations within the agreed timelines and whether the expanded monitoring mechanism can prevent unresolved disputes from triggering further industrial action.
