The federal government of Nigeria has announced the disbursement of N50 billion to the academic and non-academic unions of federal universities for the settlement of unpaid earned allowances.
The Minister of Education, Dr Maruf Alausa, disclosed this in a statement issued by the ministry’s spokesperson, Folasade Boriowo, on Wednesday.
The release of the funds, he said, was in fulfilment of President Bola Tinubu’s promise to the unions.
According to the statement, the move “stands as yet another testament to Tinubu’s unwavering commitment to fundamentally transform Nigeria’s education sector. It reflects the administration’s bold resolve to transition the nation from a resource-based to a knowledge-based economy through strategic investments in education, infrastructure, and human capital.”
The minister said, “This intervention is not just a financial transaction—it is a reaffirmation of our president’s belief in the capacity of Nigerian youth and the invaluable role that academic and non-academic staff play in nurturing them. Keeping our children in school is not negotiable. It is my commitment that strikes in our institutions will soon become a thing of the past.”
It can be recalled that university-based academic unions have long been at loggerheads with past governments over the failure to release earned allowances, among other demands.
In the 2025 national budget, the federal government allocated N3.52 trillion for education, representing 7.3 per cent of the total N54.99 trillion budget.
