The Federal Government has disbursed the sum of N50 billion to academic and non-academic unions in federal universities as payment for long-standing earned allowances.
This was made known by the Minister of Education, Dr Maruf Alausa, in a statement signed by the ministry’s spokesperson, Folasade Boriowo, on Wednesday.
Dr Alausa stated that the payment fulfils a promise made by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to the university workers, describing it as a strong demonstration of the administration’s commitment to reforming Nigeria’s education sector.
“This intervention is more than just the release of funds—it is a clear show of belief in the potential of Nigerian youth and the important role university staff play in their development. Ensuring students remain in school is non-negotiable,” the minister said.
He added that the government is working to ensure that industrial actions in the nation’s universities soon become a thing of the past.
The release of the N50 billion comes amid longstanding disputes between university unions and past administrations over unpaid allowances and other welfare-related issues.
It will be recalled that in the 2025 national budget, the Federal Government allocated N3.52 trillion to the education sector, representing 7.3% of the total N54.99 trillion budget.
