ABUJA, NIGERIA– The Federal government has formally launched a multi-billion naira financing allowance for the immediate clearance of five months of built up Consolidated Academic Tools Allowance (CATA) owed to qualified academic staff throughout all federal universities.
The breakthrough financial release was disclosed in a high-level ministerial letter dated Thursday, June 4, 2026, dispatched straight from the Office of the Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, to the Vice-Chancellors of all federal tertiary organizations.
Executing the FGN/ASUU 2025 Accord
The formal communication, bearing referral number FME/IS/UNI/ C. 98/Vol. 2/14clearly keeps in mind that the capital disbursement remains in strict accordance with the statutory arrangements of the landmark FGN/ASUU 2025 Contract.
Dr Alausa emphasised that the cash release represents a tangible fulfilment of the present administration’s dedication to the sustainable and effective execution of pacts signed with labour unions.
The advancement is anticipated to substantially douse industrial friction within the ivory towers.
Following the financing release, the ministry has directed all Vice-Chancellors to bypass administrative traffic jams and make sure the immediate clearance of all outstanding CATA stockpiles due to lecturers and other qualified scientists on their payrolls.
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To safeguard institutional accounting structures, the Minister set specific operational directions for universities that had proactively stepped in to keep campus peace over the last few months.
For federal universities that had advanced funds from their Internally Generated Profits (IGR) or alternative internal safety nets to pay the allowance from January 2026, the windows registry should initiate instant refund procedures.
Vice-Chancellors are anticipated to trace and return those specific amounts to their initial institutional accounts and budget plan heads once the federal allowance strikes their banks.
The timely resolution of the CATA arrears is seen by industry watchers as a strategic victory for Dr Alausa’s administration, signalling a proactive departure from the extended strikes that historically maimed Nigerian higher education.
University bursars across the country are expected to finish reconciling their payroll systems with the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) payment gateways by early next week.
This will ensure that university speakers receive their back-dated scholastic tools allowances before the mid-semester examinations commence.