The Federal Government has begun implementing the 40% increase in the Consolidated Academic Allowance (CAA) for lecturers in federal universities.
This is according to a statement by Minister of Education Dr. Tunji Alausa on Monday, February 9, 2026.
The move follows the signing of the revised agreement on January 14, 2026, aimed at ending recurring strikes and improving working conditions in public universities.
What the Minister said
According to Dr. Tunji Alausa, the increase in the Consolidated Academic Allowance for ASUU members has been fulfilled.
- “The Federal Government has fulfilled its obligation under the agreement by approving the 40 percent consolidated academic allowance (CAA) increase for ASUU members, with effect from January 1, 2026.”
He added that some federal universities have already reflected the increment in salary payments and that all institutions are being formally notified to integrate the increase into their payroll systems to ensure uniform implementation nationwide.
Dr Alausa directed vice chancellors to ensure strict compliance with the framework for the Consolidated Academic Tools Allowance and emphasised prudent financial management to facilitate successful rollout.
He further noted that the payment has been captured and circularised by the National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission (NSIWC) and included in the 2026 budget as part of statutory procedures.
Get up to speed
The revised ASUU agreement comes after years of tension and periodic nationwide strikes over poor welfare provisions and funding gaps in public universities.
- The revision unveiled last month concluded a process that began in 2017 to review the 2009 pact, originally due for revision in 2012. Previous committees led by Wale Babalakin, Munzali Jibrin, and Nimi Briggs failed to finalise an agreement.
The breakthrough came under the current administration through the Yayale Ahmed-led renegotiation committee inaugurated in October 2024, which reached a conclusion 14 months later
- A major provision includes a 40% upward review of the remuneration of federal university academic staff, effective January 1, 2026.
- Salaries now comprise the Consolidated University Academic Staff Salary and the Consolidated Academic Tools Allowance, intended to support research, journal publications, conference participation, internet access, professional memberships, and book procurement.
The agreement also restructured nine earned allowances covering postgraduate supervision, fieldwork, clinical duties, examinations, and leadership roles to enhance transparency and fairness.
Additionally, a new Professorial Cadre Allowance was approved: full-time Professors will receive N1.74 million annually, while Readers will earn N840,000 per year, marking a structural measure to recognise experience, strengthen dignity, and boost the academic profession.
More insights
The Federal Government emphasized that the timely implementation of the CAA increase and CATA will strengthen the academic environment, boost staff morale, and improve outcomes in teaching, research, and learning across Nigerian universities.
Dr. Alausa also reaffirmed the government’s commitment to honoring agreements with education sector stakeholders, promoting transparency and industrial harmony, and supporting the broader objectives of the Renewed Hope Agenda to enhance higher education quality.
What you should know
In 2009, ASUU and the Nigerian government reached an agreement which was intended to address critical issues within Nigeria’s public universities, including improved funding, better working conditions for lecturers, and the establishment of a more conducive academic environment.
- Since the agreement, public universities have been repeatedly disrupted by strikes. These industrial actions, often spanning several months, have become a recurring feature over funding, welfare, and policy implementation.
- ASUU embarked on an indefinite strike in 2010 that lasted over five months, protesting the government’s failure to implement the 2009 agreement. This was followed by a 59-day strike in 2011, again due to non-implementation of the agreement.
The most prolonged strike occurred in 2013, lasting approximately five and a half months, triggered by issues such as the non-payment of earned allowances and inadequate funding for university revitalization.
- In 2014, ASUU conducted a one-week warning strike, emphasizing the government’s neglect of the 2009 agreement and a 2013 Memorandum of Understanding.
- Subsequent strikes occurred in 2017, 2018, and 2020, each lasting several weeks to months, focusing on issues ranging from poor funding and the introduction of the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS) to the establishment of new universities without adequate support.
- The most recent major strike began in February 2022, lasting over five months.
The last strike was a two‑week warning strike that began on October 13, 2025, after ASUU said the union later suspended the warning strike on October 22, 2025.
KUDOS to federal Government