Nigeria's Education Minister Commits to Union Agreements

The Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, announced in Abuja that the Nigerian government is committed to honoring agreements with tertiary institution unions, which include 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. These allowances will take effect from January 1, 2026.

Alausa emphasized that the agreements align with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, aimed at ensuring students complete their four-year programs on time. He also announced the expansion of the Implementation and Monitoring Committee (IMC) to oversee compliance with the agreements.

The committee will address implementation challenges and promote accountability. Alausa urged fair treatment of staff and compliance with implementation guidelines, noting that past delays had weakened trust and led to industrial actions.

Alhaji Yayale Ahmed and Mr Mohammed Ibrahim also expressed support for the agreements and urged patience during implementation.