The Federal Government has pledged to honour its agreements with tertiary institution workers, promising to end recurring strikes and ensure Nigerian students no longer lose valuable academic years to industrial disputes.
The Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, gave the assurance on Tuesday in Abuja while unveiling the 2026 agreements between the Federal Government and staff unions in universities, polytechnics and colleges of education.
Alausa described the agreements as a major step towards rebuilding trust between the government and labour unions, saying President Bola Tinubu’s administration was determined to end decades of broken promises, industrial disputes and disruptions to academic calendars.
He insisted that a four-year degree programme must be completed within four years, assuring that the government would fulfil its obligations under the newly unveiled agreements.
The agreements cover 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 across universities, polytechnics and colleges of education.
The allowances are scheduled to take effect from January 1, 2026, in line with the agreements and applicable implementation guidelines.
The minister, however, acknowledged that unveiling the agreements was only the first step, stressing that their credibility would depend on the government’s commitment to faithful and timely implementation.
