The Federal Government has released funds to settle five months of accumulated Consolidated Academic Tools Allowance owed to lecturers in federal universities, directing vice chancellors to ensure immediate disbursement to all eligible academic staff.

A letter dated 4th June 2026, showed that the Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, addressed the directive to vice chancellors of federal universities as part of the government's implementation of agreements reached with the Academic Staff Union of Universities.

"The Federal Government has released funds for the payment of five months Consolidated Academic Tools Allowance 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 letter stated.

Alausa subsequently ordered vice chancellors to settle all outstanding allowance payments without delay. "Consequently, you are requested to ensure the immediate clearance of all outstanding CATA payments due to lecturers and other eligible academic staff in your university," the minister directed.

The letter also addressed universities that may have previously funded the allowance payments from their internally generated revenue. Such institutions are expected to refund the expenditures to the appropriate university accounts and budget heads once the Federal Government allocation is received.

"Where the university had advanced funds from its Internally Generated Revenue 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 letter added.

Alausa further directed university authorities to maintain strict compliance with financial regulations. "You are also requested to ensure strict compliance with extant financial regulations and maintain proper records of all payments and reimbursements effected under this arrangement," he stated, urging vice chancellors to treat the matter with the highest priority and urgency.

The Consolidated Academic Tools Allowance is designed to support lecturers' professional activities, including research, academic publications, internet access and teaching materials. Its payment has remained a recurring issue in negotiations between the Federal Government and ASUU, with disputes over earned allowances and conditions of service having previously triggered nationwide strikes that disrupted academic calendars across federal universities.