The Federal Government has released funds for the payment of eight months of the Consolidated Academic Tools Allowance (CATA) to eligible academic staff in federal universities, polytechnics and colleges of education across Nigeria.
The Federal Ministry of Education announced the development on Wednesday, September 9, 2026, saying the payment covers the period from January to August 2026.
The Minister of Education, Dr. Maruf Tunji Alausa, disclosed this after inaugurating the Ministerial Committee on Accreditation.
According to the minister, the payment is being implemented in line with the 2025 Federal Government of Nigeria–Academic Staff Union of Universities (FGN-ASUU) Agreement.
What is CATA?
CATA stands for Consolidated Academic Tools Allowance.
It is an allowance designed to support academic staff with expenses connected with carrying out their professional duties, including teaching, research and other academic activities.
In simple terms, it is not a salary increase and it is not an allowance for students. It is a staff-related payment for eligible academic personnel in federal tertiary institutions.
Who will receive the payment?
The announcement covers eligible academic staff in:
- Federal universities
- Federal polytechnics
- Federal colleges of education
The ministry said the affected institutions had already received notification to commence payment to eligible academic staff.
How many months are covered?
The payment covers eight months, from:
January 2026 to August 2026.
This means eligible academic staff who are covered by the arrangement should expect payment relating to those eight months, subject to their institution’s implementation and individual eligibility.
What about non-academic staff?
The government also disclosed that arrangements are underway for the corresponding allowance for non-academic staff.
According to the minister, funding for the non-academic staff allowance is expected to be made available within the coming weeks.
Why is the announcement important?
The payment is significant because it represents part of the Federal Government’s implementation of commitments contained in its agreement with academic staff.
It is also expected to provide some financial relief to eligible academic staff who have been awaiting the payment.
The Minister of Education said the development demonstrates the government’s commitment to implementing approved agreements and improving the welfare of personnel in the education sector.
Dr. Alausa also reaffirmed President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s commitment to improving staff welfare, infrastructure and the overall quality of education under the Renewed Hope Agenda.
The Federal Ministry of Education said it would continue to monitor the implementation of approved interventions and agreements across the education sector.