NAAT slams FG over selective academic allowance disbursement

…warns of imminent campus shutdown

The National Association of Academic Technologists (NAAT) has issued a stern warning to the Federal Government, condemning what it described as the selective and discriminatory approach to the planned disbursement of Earned Academic Allowances (EAA) exclusively to members of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU).

In a communique issued at the end of its 58th National Executive Council (NEC) meeting held on April 9–10, 2025, NAAT expressed dismay over a letter signed by the Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Education, Mr. Abel O. Enitan, which disclosed that N50 billion would be released for EAA payments to university staff, but explicitly mentioned only ASUU.

Describing the move as a breach of mutual trust and a threat to industrial harmony, the union called for the immediate withdrawal of the letter addressed to ASUU and demanded an emergency meeting between the Minister of Education and all four university-based unions to establish equitable modalities for the disbursement.

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“This selective payment approach is not only unfair but could plunge our campuses into chaos,” NAAT President, Comrade Ibeji Nwokoma, said in the signed statement.

The union reminded the government of an earlier meeting held on January 23, 2025, where NAAT and other unions corrected the Minister’s assertion that the N50 billion in the 2025 budget was solely for ASUU.

The Minister had reportedly apologised for the misrepresentation and promised a correction, which NAAT says is yet to be effected

Further intensifying its concerns, NAAT criticised the lack of progress in its renegotiation with the Federal Government, pointing out that the Re-negotiation Committee chaired by Dr. Mahmud Yayale Ahmed only held one inaugural meeting with NAAT before submitting a report to the Ministry — a report the union claims does not reflect meaningful engagement.

In addition to calling for the reconvening of the NAAT/FGN re-negotiation, the union also demanded the immediate mainstreaming of earned allowances as outlined in the 2009 NAAT/FGN agreement.

NAAT urged traditional rulers, religious leaders, the National Assembly, student unions, and security agencies to intervene urgently to prevent a breakdown of peace on university campuses nationwide.

NIGERIAN TRIBUNE