The Federal Government has begun implementing improved salaries and allowances for members of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), in line with its renewed agreement with the union, with payments backdated to January 1, 2026.
The new payments are now being effected across federal universities nationwide as part of efforts to improve staff welfare and stabilise the university system.
The Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, announced the development in a directive issued to Vice-Chancellors on Monday. He said the government had approved a 40 per cent increase in the Consolidated Academic Allowance (CAA) for ASUU members, effective from January 1, 2026, adding that some universities have already begun reflecting the increment in their payroll.
In the directive, Alausa reaffirmed President Bola Tinubu’s commitment to the welfare of academic staff and the development of the university system.
He noted that some federal universities had already implemented the approved increase in salary payments.
The minister directed all federal universities to ensure full compliance with the policy, instructing managements to integrate the increment into their payroll structures so that all eligible academic staff could benefit.
Dr. Alausa also stressed the need for strict implementation of the Consolidated Tools Allowance (CATA). He said the allowance had been approved, documented, and circulated by the National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission (NSIWC), and included in the 2026 budget.
According to him, university authorities should utilise available resources to ensure the prompt payment of the allowance in line with NSIWC guidelines.
The minister said timely implementation of both the CAA increase and CATA would strengthen the academic environment and improve staff morale.
