The Federal Government has said Nigerian university students should no longer spend extra years completing programmes designed to last four years, as the government moves to address recurring strikes and disruptions in the tertiary education system.

The Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, stated this on Tuesday in Abuja while unveiling the 2026 agreements between the Federal Government and staff unions in universities, polytechnics and colleges of education.

Dr Alausa said the government was determined to ensure that academic programmes run according to their prescribed duration.

He said the commitment was part of President Bola Tinubu’s campaign promise to ensure that students enrolled in four-year programmes complete them within four years.

“During his campaign, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu promised that a four-year course would be completed in four years. Today, through his leadership, these agreements give practical expression to that pledge: A promise made, a promise kept, and trust restored,” Dr Alausa said.

FG promises to honour agreements with unions

The minister said the government would fulfil its obligations under the newly unveiled agreements with tertiary institution workers.

The agreements cover the Consolidated Academic Tools Allowance (CATA) for members of the Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics and Colleges of Education Academic Staff Union, as well as the Consolidated Non-Teaching Tools Allowance (CONTTA) for non-teaching staff across universities, polytechnics and colleges of education.

The allowances are to take effect from 1 January 2026, in line with the agreements and applicable implementation guidelines.

Dr Alausa, however, acknowledged that signing and unveiling the agreements was only the beginning, stressing that their credibility would depend on faithful implementation.

“We will fulfil our own part of these historic agreements. We recognise that public confidence will depend on the obligations we honour after this ceremony,” he said.

Government expands monitoring committee

To prevent disagreements over implementation from escalating into strikes, the minister announced an expansion of the existing Implementation and Monitoring Committee established for the agreement with the Academic Staff Union of Universities.

The committee will now serve as a single monitoring platform covering agreements with academic and non-academic staff unions across tertiary institutions.

Its responsibilities will include tracking implementation milestones, identifying challenges, resolving disputes and producing periodic reports.

The government also plans to make the expanded committee a permanent structure.

Students, families bear cost of prolonged strikes

Dr Alausa said recurring industrial disputes had consequences beyond the government and university workers.

He noted that prolonged strikes cause students to lose valuable learning time, place additional financial pressure on families and disrupt teaching and research.

He said stable academic calendars were essential for institutions to plan effectively and for students to complete their programmes without unnecessary delays.

“Our students and their families must remain at the centre of these efforts,” the minister said.

Unions welcome agreement

Representatives of the academic and non-academic unions welcomed the progress made in the negotiations but stressed that implementation would be the real test.

The Chairman of the Federal Government Tertiary Institutions Expanded Negotiation Committee, Alhaji Yayale Ahmed, said the unveiling of the agreement was only the beginning.

“The most important thing is for us to have a seamless agreement collectively, which the government is not only willing but comfortable to implement to the letter,” he said.

ASUP President Comrade Shammah Kpanja said negotiations began in December 2025 and culminated in the signing of the agreement in April 2026. He said implementation had commenced, with some members receiving outstanding arrears between July and September.

COEASU President Dr Lawal Bazza also said the colleges of education subsector had achieved more than 70 per cent implementation of its agreement.

For students, the government’s promise goes beyond allowances for university workers. If implemented effectively, the new monitoring system could help prevent disputes from repeatedly shutting down campuses and extending students’ time in school.

That could mean fewer disrupted academic calendars, reduced financial pressure on families and a better chance for students to graduate within the period originally prescribed for their programmes.

But the real test will be whether the agreements are implemented fully and whether the new monitoring mechanism can prevent unresolved issues from developing into another round of industrial action.