The Federal Government has disbursed funds for the payment of five months of outstanding Consolidated Academic Tools Allowance (CATA) owed to lecturers in federal universities and has instructed vice-chancellors to settle all pending payments without delay.
According to a letter obtained, the Minister of Education, Tunji Alausa, directed vice-chancellors across federal universities to ensure the swift distribution of the funds to eligible academic staff.
The directive, dated June 4, 2026, was issued as part of the Federal Government’s implementation of agreements reached with the Academic Staff Union of Universities.
The minister stated that the release of the funds was in line with the provisions of the 2025 agreement between the 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 also instructed university administrators to ensure that all outstanding CATA obligations are paid immediately.
“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 further addressed institutions that had previously used internally generated revenue or other sources to pay the allowance, directing them to reimburse those accounts after receiving the Federal Government allocation.
“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.
In addition, the minister instructed university authorities to comply strictly with financial regulations and maintain accurate records 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 emphasized the urgency of the directive, urging vice-chancellors to prioritise its implementation.
“Kindly accord this matter the highest priority and urgency,” the minister said.
The release of the funds is expected to ease concerns among lecturers in federal universities, many of whom have repeatedly raised issues over delayed welfare payments.
The Consolidated Academic Tools Allowance supports lecturers in carrying out academic responsibilities such as research, publications, internet access and the procurement of teaching materials and other professional resources.
Over the years, payment of the allowance has remained a recurring issue in negotiations between the Federal Government and ASUU, alongside concerns over earned allowances, university revitalisation funding, salaries and conditions of service.
These disputes have frequently led to nationwide industrial actions that disrupted academic activities in public universities.
In 2025, the Federal Government and ASUU reached a new agreement aimed at resolving several long-standing concerns affecting lecturers and promoting stability within the tertiary education sector.
Stakeholders in the education sector have consistently maintained that timely payment of allowances and adherence to agreements are crucial for improving staff welfare, enhancing research output and strengthening the quality of higher education.
The latest fund release is therefore being viewed as part of broader efforts by the government to maintain industrial harmony in federal universities and prevent disruptions to the academic calendar.
