The Federal Government has pledged to end the recurring disruption of academic calendars in Nigeria’s tertiary institutions, insisting that students enrolled in four-year degree programmes must be able to complete their studies within the stipulated period.
Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, gave the assurance in Abuja on Tuesday while unveiling the 2026 agreements between the Federal Government and academic and non-academic staff unions in universities, polytechnics and colleges of education.
Alausa said President Bola Tinubu’s administration was committed to addressing the longstanding disputes between the government and education workers that have repeatedly forced students to spend additional years in school.
According to the minister, the new agreements are intended to restore confidence between the government and labour unions, improve staff welfare and prevent industrial disputes from disrupting academic activities.
“During his campaign, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu promised that a four-year course would be completed in four years. Today, through his leadership, these agreements give practical expression to that pledge: A promise made, a promise kept, and trust restored,” Alausa said.
He stressed, however, that the credibility of the agreements would depend on the government’s willingness to fulfil its obligations within the agreed timelines.
Alausa assured tertiary institution workers that the Federal Government would implement the provisions of the newly unveiled agreements.
He acknowledged that previous agreements between successive governments and staff unions had often been undermined by delays, incomplete implementation and unfulfilled promises.
Such disagreements, he said, had contributed to repeated strikes, disrupted academic calendars and prolonged students’ stay in tertiary institutions.
The minister noted that the consequences extended beyond lecturers and other workers, as students lost valuable learning time while parents and guardians faced additional financial burdens.
He said the Tinubu administration intended to break the cycle by ensuring that government commitments were respected and disputes were addressed before they escalated into industrial action.
“Let me state clearly, on behalf of the Federal Government: We will fulfil our own part of these historic agreements,” he said.
Alausa added that stable academic calendars would enable institutions to plan effectively, improve research activities and provide students with a more predictable learning environment.
The agreements cover two major allowances designed to support eligible workers across Nigeria’s tertiary education system.
They include the Consolidated Academic Tools Allowance (CATA) for members of the Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP) and the Colleges of Education Academic Staff Union (COEASU).
The agreements also provide for the Consolidated Non-Teaching Tools Allowance (CONTTA) for non-teaching staff unions across universities, polytechnics and colleges of education.
According to the Federal Government, the allowances are to take effect from January 1, 2026, in line with the agreements and applicable implementation guidelines.
Alausa said the provisions reflected the government’s recognition that the quality of tertiary education depended partly on the welfare, motivation and professional wellbeing of its workforce.
He added that improving staff welfare should extend beyond financial allowances to include fair treatment, transparent promotion processes, occupational safety and opportunities for career advancement.
The minister urged relevant government agencies, institutional managements and governing councils to comply with the agreements and maintain accurate records to support effective implementation.
In a move aimed at preventing another cycle of industrial disputes, Alausa announced plans to expand the existing Implementation and Monitoring Committee established for agreements with the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU).
Under the new arrangement, the committee will become a central monitoring platform for agreements involving academic and non-academic staff unions across tertiary institutions.
Its membership will be expanded to accommodate relevant unions and stakeholders, while its responsibilities will include tracking implementation milestones, assessing progress, resolving challenges and producing periodic reports.
The minister said the committee would help identify disagreements early and address outstanding issues before they resulted in strikes or other disruptions.
He also disclosed plans to work towards making the expanded committee a permanent structure.
Alausa urged union leaders to channel complaints through established mechanisms and encouraged government agencies and institutional authorities to cooperate fully with the monitoring body.
He said early consultation, constructive dialogue and mutual respect were essential to maintaining industrial harmony in the education sector.
The agreements also contain a provision for review every three years, allowing the government and unions to discuss emerging concerns and mutually agreed adjustments.
Chairman of the Federal Government Tertiary Institutions Expanded Negotiation Committee, Malam Yayale Ahmed, said the successful conclusion of negotiations depended on cooperation and a willingness by both parties to reach a workable agreement.
Ahmed, who served as Permanent Secretary in the Federal Ministry of Education between 1997 and 2000, commended the unions for defending their members’ interests while considering the government’s financial and administrative constraints.
However, he warned that unveiling the agreements was only the beginning of the process, stressing that faithful implementation would determine their success.
“To me, this is the beginning of our job. The most important thing is for us to have a seamless agreement collectively, which the government is not only willing but comfortable to implement to the letter,” he said.
Ahmed expressed confidence in the commitment of Alausa and the Minister of State for Education, Professor Suwaiba Ahmad, to ensure the agreements were implemented.
He also disclosed that discrepancies had been identified in parts of the agreement, assuring the unions that the issues would be addressed in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Education and the National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission.
His comments highlighted the need to resolve outstanding technical issues before they create further disagreements between the government and education workers.
Leaders of several education unions welcomed the progress made in the negotiations, while calling for the full implementation of the agreements.
National President of ASUP, Comrade Shammah Kpanja, described the negotiation process as the fastest in the union’s history.
He said discussions began in December 2025 and culminated in the signing of the agreement in April 2026.
Kpanja disclosed that implementation had commenced, with members receiving outstanding arrears between July and September.
However, he urged the government to ensure that all remaining provisions were implemented and expressed hope that the joint monitoring committee would accelerate the process before the end of the year.
Similarly, COEASU National President, Dr Lawal Bazza, said the colleges of education subsector had achieved more than 70 per cent implementation of the agreement.
He expressed confidence that the expanded monitoring committee would help address outstanding provisions and improve implementation.
The President of the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU), Comrade Ibrahim Mohammed, also commended the government for the progress made in renegotiating the agreements.
The signed documents were presented to representatives of academic and non-academic staff unions, including ASUP, COEASU, SSANU, the Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions (NASU) and the National Association of Academic Technologists (NAAT).
Will the New Agreements Finally End University Strikes?
Despite the government’s assurances, the long-term impact of the agreements will depend on whether the provisions are implemented fully and consistently.
Nigeria’s tertiary education system has experienced repeated industrial disputes over funding, staff welfare, salaries, allowances and the implementation of agreements.
Such disruptions have frequently forced students to remain in school longer than expected, delaying graduation and increasing the financial pressure on families.
The expanded monitoring committee is intended to provide a structured mechanism for tracking commitments and resolving disagreements before they escalate.
However, the government will need to demonstrate that agreed payments and other obligations can be met within the stipulated timelines.
For Nigerian students and their families, the ultimate measure of success will be whether academic calendars become more stable and students can complete their programmes without avoidable interruptions.
Alausa said the government was determined to place students at the centre of its efforts to restore industrial harmony and improve the quality of tertiary education.
Whether the new agreements will deliver that outcome will become clearer as implementation progresses.
