The Federal Government has expanded its monitoring committee to ensure the full implementation of agreements with labour unions in universities, polytechnics and colleges of education across Nigeria.
The move is aimed at addressing outstanding labour issues, improving workers’ welfare and preventing industrial disputes that could disrupt academic activities.
The Minister of Education, Dr Maruf Tunji Alausa, announced the expansion in Abuja as part of efforts to strengthen accountability and improve relations between the government and unions representing academic and non-academic staff.
According to the minister, the existing Implementation Monitoring Committee (IMC), initially established to oversee the agreement with the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), will now cover agreements involving other unions across tertiary institutions.
Alausa explained that the committee would monitor government commitments, assess progress, identify challenges affecting implementation and ensure that unresolved issues were referred to the appropriate authorities.
He said effective monitoring was necessary to prevent delays in fulfilling agreements and restore confidence between the government and organised labour.
The minister also attributed the successful negotiation of agreements with 16 labour unions within approximately one year to a coordinated negotiation process that improved communication and cooperation among stakeholders.
The expanded committee will bring together representatives of the Federal Ministries of Education, Labour and Employment, Justice, and Finance, alongside relevant government agencies and other stakeholders.
Minister of State for Education, Professor Suwaiba Sa’idu Ahmad, called on all parties to embrace constructive dialogue and shared responsibility to ensure the agreements were fully implemented.
The committee’s chairman, Senator Olanrewaju Tejuoso, also announced plans to establish five standing sectoral implementation monitoring committees to address specific concerns within different areas of tertiary education.
The development follows the Federal Government’s unveiling of its 2026 agreements with tertiary education staff unions. The agreements include the Consolidated Academic Tools Allowance (CATA) for eligible members of the Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP) and the Colleges of Education Academic Staff Union (COEASU), as well as the Consolidated Non-Teaching Tools Allowance (CONTTA) for eligible non-teaching personnel.
The approved allowances are scheduled to take effect from January 1, 2026, in line with the agreements and applicable implementation guidelines.
The Federal Government said the expanded monitoring structure would help ensure that negotiated commitments translated into tangible improvements for workers while supporting uninterrupted academic calendars.
However, the effectiveness of the initiative will depend on how promptly outstanding commitments are fulfilled and how successfully disagreements are resolved before they lead to industrial action.
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