Leaked Memo Sparks Fresh Tuition Hike Fears As FG Directs Universities To Fund Lecturers’ Allowances Through IGR

Fresh concerns over possible tuition increases in Nigeria’s public universities have emerged following the circulation of a leaked memo indicating that the Federal Government directed federal universities to fund lecturers’ allowances through internally generated revenue (IGR).

The internal memo from Modibbo Adama University revealed that the Federal Ministry of Education instructed vice-chancellors to source funds internally for the payment of Consequential Adjustment and Transport Allowance (CATA) to academic staff.

The document, dated May 18, 2026, and signed by the university bursar, Hanien N. Ayuka, stated that the institution had been paying the allowance from its internally generated revenue since January 2026.

However, the university explained that the arrangement had become financially unsustainable due to the absence of reimbursement from the Federal Government.

According to the memo, the Minister of Education directed all vice-chancellors to immediately begin payment of the allowance to eligible lecturers pending federal cash backing.

The university disclosed that despite complying with the directive for months, it had yet to receive any financial support from the Federal Government to offset the payments already made.

As a result, the institution announced the suspension of the allowance payment from May 2026 because of growing financial pressure.

Copies of the leaked memo were reportedly circulated to principal officers of the university, including the Vice Chancellor, Deputy Vice Chancellors, Registrar, Provost, Internal Auditor, University Librarian, deans, the chairman of the institution’s Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) branch, and the Head of Payroll.

A lecturer at the university, who spoke anonymously, warned that the development could force many federal universities to increase tuition fees and service charges to survive financially.

“The reality is that many universities may have no choice but to increase tuition and other charges next session because the government has effectively pushed the responsibility of funding onto the institutions,” the lecturer reportedly said.

The development has generated anxiety among students, parents and lecturers, with fears that another round of fee hikes could worsen the economic hardship facing many Nigerian families.

Several federal universities have already increased tuition and administrative charges in recent years, leading to protests by students and labour unions who accused the government of gradually commercialising public education.

Meanwhile, ASUU has again accused the Federal Government of failing to fully implement the 2025 agreement reached with the union.

Speaking during a press conference at Benue State University, ASUU Nsukka Zone Coordinator, Comrade Christian Opata, alleged that the government had only partially implemented the agreement signed on January 14, 2026.

Opata criticised the delay in inaugurating the Implementation Monitoring Committee expected to oversee compliance with the agreement and resolve emerging issues.

The union also faulted the Federal Government over the proposed National Research and Innovation Development Fund (NRIDF), announced by the Minister of Education, Dr. Maruf Alausa, alleging that ASUU was excluded from the process despite being part of the agreement.

ASUU further rejected the proposed funding structure for the research fund, insisting that it contradicted earlier recommendations that at least one per cent of Nigeria’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) should be allocated to research, innovation and development.

The union warned that continued failure to fully implement the agreement could trigger another industrial crisis in Nigeria’s public university system.