The Federal Government has approved a 35 per cent increase in hazard allowances for junior and senior members of the Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions (NASU) in federal universities.
According to The PUNCH, the revised allowances will take effect from January 1, 2026, following an agreement reached between the Federal Government and NASU on June 29, 2026.
The approval was contained in a circular issued by the National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission (NSIWC) in Abuja on July 20, 2026.
The circular, signed by the Acting Secretary of the National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission (NSIWC), Adighiogu Chiadi, was addressed to the Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila; the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), George Akume; the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation; ministers; and heads of government agencies.
It stated: “Following the agreement between the Federal Government of Nigeria and the Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions dated 29th June 2026, the Federal Government has approved the payment of the following allowances to non-teaching staff members of NASU in Federal Universities.”
Under the new package, the annual laboratory hazard allowance for staff on CONTISS 1-5 increased from N180,000 under the 2009 agreement to N243,000, representing a 35 per cent increase, while workers on CONTISS 6-15 will now receive N486,000 annually, up from N360,000.
NASU had sought annual hazard allowances of N360,000 and N720,000 respectively for the two categories.
The review also covers senior non-teaching staff, with the annual responsibility allowance for registrars and bursars rising from N750,000 to N840,000, compared to the union’s demand of N1.5 million.
Deputy registrars, deputy bursars and deputy directors will now receive N480,000 annually, while directors, who previously had no responsibility allowance, have been granted N600,000 annually, in line with the union’s request.
Heads of sections, who also had no approved responsibility allowance, will now receive N150,000 annually, against NASU’s demand of N900,000.
The government also reviewed allowances for field trips, teaching practice and industrial supervision. Staff on CONTISS 1-5 will now receive N81,000 annually, up from N60,000, while workers on CONTISS 6-12 will earn N108,000, an increase from N80,000. Those on CONTISS 13-15 will receive N135,000 annually, up from N100,000.
The union had proposed annual allowances of N120,000, N160,000 and N200,000 respectively for the three salary categories.
In addition, the Students’ Work Experience Programme (SWEP) allowance was increased. Staff on CONTISS 1-5 will now receive N81,000 annually instead of N60,000, while those on CONTISS 6-12 will earn N108,000, up from N80,000. For officers on CONTISS 13-15, the previous range of N60,000 to N100,000 has been harmonised at N135,000 annually, against the union’s demand of N200,000.
The circular further stated that the Provision Tools Allowance (PTA) has been absorbed into the Consolidated Non-Teaching Tools Allowance (CATA), while laboratory student-to-staff ratio supplementation will henceforth be addressed under excess workload arrangements.
The review followed months of negotiations between the Federal Government and NASU after the union argued that the allowances approved under the 2009 agreement had become inadequate due to inflation and the rising cost of living.
