Federal university lecturers are set to receive five months of outstanding Consolidated Academic Tools Allowance (CATA) following the release of funds by the Federal Government.
The payment is expected to provide relief to academic staff who rely on the allowance to cover essential teaching, research, and professional development expenses, including journal publication fees, conference participation, internet services, books, and membership dues for academic associations.
Prolonged delays in the disbursement of the allowance had compelled many lecturers to personally finance these costs or postpone research and scholarly activities.
The latest payment follows the Federal Government–Academic Staff Union of Universities (FGN-ASUU) 2025 Agreement, signed on 14 January 2026, which included a 40 per cent upward review of lecturers’ remuneration.
In a circular dated 4 June 2026 and addressed to vice-chancellors, Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, said the release of funds underscores the government’s commitment to implementing the agreement reached with the union.
“I write to inform you that the Federal Government has released funds for the payment of five (5) months Consolidated Academic Tools Allowance (CATA) 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 minister stated.
Alausa directed vice-chancellors to ensure the immediate settlement of all outstanding CATA payments owed to eligible academic staff.
He also instructed universities that had advanced funds from their Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) or other institutional sources to pay the allowance from January 2026 to refund such expenditures to the appropriate university accounts and budget heads upon receipt of the Federal Government allocation.
“In addition, where the university had advanced funds from its Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) 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 circular added.
Officials of the Academic Staff Union of Universities welcomed the release of the funds but maintained that it represents only part of the Federal Government’s obligations under the 2025 agreement.
According to union sources, ASUU continues to press for the full implementation of the agreement, citing other outstanding commitments yet to be fulfilled.
The latest disbursement comes months after the Federal Government released ₦2.3 billion in October 2025 to university-based unions to offset part of accumulated allowance arrears.
For academic staff, attention is now focused on the speed of implementation by individual universities and the need for strict adherence to financial accountability procedures in processing the payments.
The release of the funds is expected to ease some of the financial pressures confronting lecturers and support teaching, research, and professional development activities across federal universities.
