FG releases CATA funds for tertiary institution lecturers

The Federal Government has released funds for the payment of the Consolidated Academic Tools Allowance to academic staff in federal universities, polytechnics and colleges of education for the first eight months of 2026.

The Minister of Education, Tunji Alausa, announced the development on Wednesday after inaugurating the Ministerial Committee on Accreditation.

According to the minister, the payment covers January to August 2026 and is in line with the 2025 agreement between the Federal Government and the Academic Staff Union of Universities.

CATA is designed to assist academic staff with the cost of tools, materials and other resources required for teaching, research and related academic responsibilities.

Alausa said the funds had been released to the affected institutions and urged them to commence payment to eligible academic staff.

“The Office of the Minister of Education is happy to announce that the full CATA payment has now been released by the Federal Government from January to August 2026 to all universities, all polytechnics and colleges of education.

“All these institutions should have received notification to start paying CATA to all academic staff,” he said.

The minister disclosed that the government was also working to release funds for the payment of the corresponding allowance to non-academic staff.

“And also, the payment to non-academic staff, we’re hoping that these funds will be made available, hopefully, in the next few weeks,” Alausa said.

He described the release as part of President Bola Tinubu’s efforts to improve the welfare of workers in the country’s tertiary education sector.

“This is another indication of President Bola Tinubu’s commitment to our academic and non-academic staff. President Bola Tinubu made a commitment to ensuring that the quality and welfare of our staff are prioritised. He has prioritised the welfare of our staff,” he said.

Alausa said the government’s education agenda was not limited to staff welfare, adding that investments were also being made in infrastructure across tertiary institutions and at the basic and postgraduate levels.

“Beyond prioritising the welfare of our staff, he has also significantly invested in infrastructure at all our tertiary institutions and also basic and postgraduate education,” he said.

He said the administration remained focused on improving the quality of education available to Nigerian children and ensuring that the country’s education system could meet global standards.

“This is a President that believes so much in education. He has delivered beyond his promises to ensure that every single child in this country gets the highest quality of education comparable to anywhere in the world,” Alausa said.

The minister commended the President for what he described as a transformative approach to the education sector.