The Federal Government has approved a new remuneration package for members of the Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions (NASU) in federal universities, raising hazard allowances, responsibility allowances and several other earned benefits.
The revised package, which takes retrospective effect from January 1, 2026, was approved following an agreement reached between the Federal Government and NASU on June 29, 2026.
The decision was communicated in a circular dated July 20, 2026, issued by the National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission (NSIWC) and signed by its Acting Secretary, Adighiogu A. Chiadi.
The circular was addressed to key government officials, including the Chief of Staff to the President, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, ministers, permanent secretaries and heads of federal 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.”
It further stated that, “The reviewed remuneration package takes effect from 1st January 2026.”
One of the major highlights of the review is the increase in laboratory, workshop, studio, clinical and occupational hazard allowances.
Employees on the CONTISS 1–5 salary grade will now receive ₦243,000 annually as hazard allowance, up from ₦180,000, representing an increase of ₦63,000.
Staff on CONTISS 6–15 will receive ₦486,000 annually, an increase of ₦126,000 from the previous ₦360,000.
The government also retained the existing framework for call duty, shift duty and clinical hazard allowances in line with previous NSIWC circulars.
Rather than introducing a fixed annual payment for high-risk duties, the government directed that such claims should continue to be handled through the Employee Compensation Scheme in accordance with the Employees’ Compensation Act.
Responsibility allowances for senior university administrators were also revised upward.
Registrars and bursars will now earn ₦840,000 annually, equivalent to ₦70,000 monthly, compared to the previous ₦750,000 annually.
Directors, who previously had no responsibility allowance, will now receive ₦600,000 annually, while deputy registrars, deputy bursars and deputy directors will receive ₦480,000 annually.
Heads of departments and units will now earn ₦360,000 annually, up from ₦300,000, while heads of sections have been introduced into the allowance structure with an annual payment of ₦150,000.
The Federal Government also approved increases in field trip, teaching practice and industrial supervision allowances across all salary grades.
For officers on CONTISS 1–5, the annual allowance increased from ₦60,000 to ₦81,000.
Employees on CONTISS 6–12 will now receive ₦108,000 annually instead of ₦80,000, while those on CONTISS 13–15 will receive ₦135,000, up from ₦100,000.
The Students Work Experience Programme (SWEP) allowance was similarly reviewed upward across all salary levels, with the highest category now receiving ₦135,000 annually.
In addition, the government introduced a new annual uniform and protective clothing allowance for laboratory, workshop and studio personnel.
Eligible employees across CONTISS 1–15 will receive ₦80,000 annually, marking the first time such an allowance has been approved for affected staff.
The circular also clarified that the Provision Tools Allowance has now been merged into the Consolidated Non-Teaching Tools Allowance.
It added that Project Supervision Allowance would no longer apply because project supervision already falls within the official responsibilities of the affected non-teaching personnel.
Similarly, the Laboratory Students-to-Staff Ratio Supplementation benefit will now be addressed through the existing Excess Workload arrangement.
The commission further directed that the Excess Workload Allowance should be phased out.
Although NASU had proposed increasing the current rate from ₦3,500 per hour to ₦10,000 per hour for officers on CONTISS 09–15, the government retained the existing rate pending its eventual discontinuation.
The revised package follows months of negotiations between the Federal Government and NASU over the welfare of non-teaching staff in federal universities.
The union had argued that most of the allowances being paid were based on a 2009 agreement and had become inadequate due to inflation, the depreciation of the naira and the rising cost of living.
The latest approval is also part of ongoing efforts by the Federal Government to sustain industrial peace within public universities through improved welfare packages and continued engagement with university-based unions over salaries, allowances and conditions of service.
