President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s government has announced the release of N50 billion to the academic and non-academic staff unions of federal universities for the settlement of earned allowances.
This was disclosed by the Minister of Education, Dr Maruf Alausa in a statement on Wednesday through the Director of Press at the Federal Ministry of Education, Folasade Boriowo.
Boriowo stated that 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.”
According to the Minister, “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.
“By prioritising their welfare, we are laying the foundation for a future where every Nigerian child receives highly qualitative and globally competitive education.”
The Minister expressed President Tinubu’s heartfelt appreciation to both academic and non-academic unions for their sustained trust in his administration and for fostering an atmosphere of peace and cooperation across Nigeria’s federal institutions.
“Notably, the country is currently experiencing one of the longest uninterrupted academic sessions in recent history—a feat attributed to the mutual understanding and shared commitment between the government and the university community,” the statement added.
The President reiterated: “The youth are the heartbeat of our country. Their future is extremely important to me and my administration. 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.”
Recall that university-based academic unions have been at loggerheads with past governments over the failure to release earned allowances, among other demands.
Meanwhile, ASUU has reacted to claims by Tinubu’s administration that it has released N50 billion to settle long-standing earned academic allowances owed to university lecturers.
Speaking in an interview with SaharaReporters on Wednesday, ASUU National President, Professor Emmanuel Osodeke, said the union has not received any verifiable evidence of such payment and would not be swayed by mere pronouncements from the federal government.
“You said that the government released the N50 billion to ASUU, but why are you bringing other staff? Every union negotiates for its members. It is not a collective,” Osodeke questioned.
He further debunked the narrative being pushed by government spokespersons, insisting that ASUU was only verbally informed and has not seen any documentation or transfer of funds.
“I have not even seen the report about the release of the fund. We are aware of it, but until we see evidence, we won’t believe them,” he said. “We only agreed verbally. We have not seen the money.”