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 conveyed 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 NSIWC, Adighiogu Chiadi, was addressed to the Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila; the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, George Akume; the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation; ministers; and heads of government agencies.
It stated that the approval followed the agreement reached between the Federal Government and NASU and outlined the revised allowances for non-teaching staff in federal universities.
Under the new package, the annual laboratory hazard allowance for staff on CONTISS 1–5 has increased from ₦180,000 to ₦243,000, representing a 35 per cent rise, while workers on CONTISS 6–15 will now receive ₦486,000 annually, up from ₦360,000.
NASU had sought annual hazard allowances of ₦360,000 and ₦720,000 respectively for the two categories.
The review also covers responsibility allowances for senior non-teaching staff. Registrars and bursars will now receive ₦840,000 annually, up from ₦750,000, although the union had requested ₦1.5 million.
Deputy registrars, deputy bursars and deputy directors will now receive ₦480,000 annually, while directors, who previously had no responsibility allowance, have been granted ₦600,000 annually, in line with the union’s request.
Heads of sections, who also had no approved responsibility allowance, will now receive ₦150,000 annually, against the union’s demand of ₦900,000.
The government also reviewed allowances for field trips, teaching practice and industrial supervision. Staff on CONTISS 1–5 will now receive ₦81,000 annually, up from ₦60,000, while workers on CONTISS 6–12 will earn ₦108,000, an increase from ₦80,000. Those on CONTISS 13–15 will receive ₦135,000 annually, up from ₦100,000.
The union had proposed annual allowances of ₦120,000, ₦160,000 and ₦200,000 respectively for the three salary categories.
Similarly, the Students’ Work Experience Programme (SWEP) allowance has been increased. Staff on CONTISS 1–5 will now receive ₦81,000 annually instead of ₦60,000, while those on CONTISS 6–12 will earn ₦108,000, up from ₦80,000. For officers on CONTISS 13–15, the previous range of ₦60,000 to ₦100,000 has been harmonised at ₦135,000 annually, compared to the union’s demand of ₦200,000.
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 follows 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.
