Friday, May 22, 2026 | SUNTV Global Channel | Abuja, Nigeria
The administration of President has reportedly directed federal universities across Nigeria to begin funding lecturers’ allowances through their internally generated revenue (IGR), a development now sparking fears of fresh tuition fee increases across public institutions.
According to a leaked internal memo obtained from , the Federal Ministry of Education instructed Vice Chancellors nationwide to source funds internally for the payment of the Consequential Adjustment and Transport Allowance (CATA) for academic staff effective from January 2026.
The memo, signed by the university bursar, Hanien N. Ayuka, disclosed that the institution had been paying the allowance from its IGR since January without receiving financial backing from the Federal Government.
However, the university management stated that the arrangement has become unsustainable due to worsening financial pressure.
“The University is unable to sustain the continued payment of the CATA allowance and will henceforth suspend the payment until the Federal Government provides the necessary cash backing,” the memo stated.
The suspension officially takes effect from May 2026.
Sources within the university revealed that the directive has already thrown several public universities into financial difficulty, with many institutions now considering increases in tuition fees and service charges to survive.
A lecturer who spoke anonymously said management teams across various universities are under pressure as government funding continues to decline.
“Universities cannot continue to sustain these payments from IGR alone. The reality is that many schools may increase fees next session because the government has practically told them to fund themselves,” the source disclosed.
The development has triggered anxiety among students, parents, and lecturers who fear another round of tuition hikes could worsen the economic hardship currently affecting many Nigerian families.
Meanwhile, the (ASUU) has accused the Federal Government of failing to fully implement the 2025 ASUU/FGN agreement.
Speaking during a press briefing in Makurdi, ASUU Nsukka Zone Coordinator, Christian Opata, warned that the government’s actions could push the university system into another industrial crisis.
The union also criticised the Federal Government for allegedly sidelining ASUU in the proposed National Research and Innovation Development Fund (NRIDF), insisting that agreements reached earlier this year are being ignored.
With universities struggling financially and fears of another nationwide fee hike growing stronger, concerns continue to mount over the future of affordable public education in Nigeria.
