The Federal Government has announced the full payment of the Consolidated Academic Tools Allowance (CATA) to academic staff across all federal universities, polytechnics, and colleges of education. The disbursement covers an eight-month period spanning from January to August 2026, bringing a significant financial boost to the nation’s tertiary education workforce.

The Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, disclosed this major development on Wednesday in Abuja. Speaking shortly after inaugurating the Ministerial Committee on Accreditation, the Minister confirmed that the funds have been officially released by the apex government to the respective governing councils of the beneficiary institutions.

CATA is a specialized financial allowance provided to academic staff to support the purchase of essential tools, books, and materials required for contemporary teaching, cutting-edge research, and other core academic activities. The release of the funds is expected to immediately ease the financial burdens associated with research delivery across public campuses.

According to Dr Alausa, the prompt payment was executed in strict accordance with the provisions of the 2025 Federal Government–Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) agreement. He re-echoed the current administration’s unwavering commitment to implementing all signed pacts to guarantee a stable academic calendar.

The Minister further stated that the Office of the Minister of Education has ensured all federal universities, polytechnics, and colleges of education nationwide receive formal notification. These institutions have been mandated to immediately commence the direct disbursement of the accumulated CATA funds to their academic staff.

In a move to ensure inclusivity, Dr Alausa gave strong assurances that the welfare of non-academic workers is not being overlooked. He revealed that the CATA payment for non-academic staff is currently undergoing administrative processing, with expectations that these specific funds will be made available within the next few weeks.

The Education Minister noted that this timely intervention is a clear reflection of President Bola Tinubu’s deep-seated commitment to improving the welfare of both academic and non-academic staff. He reiterated that the presidency has prioritized workforce satisfaction as a prerequisite for elevating the standard of higher education.

Concluding his address, Alausa emphasized that the administration’s education reforms extend far beyond staff welfare. He highlighted ongoing, massive investments in infrastructure across tertiary campuses, as well as critical interventions in basic and postgraduate education aimed at making Nigerian graduates globally competitive.