Shortfall in allocations delays lecturers’ salaries at federal universities

2026-03-08 - 12:37

...We are working on it – FG By Adesina Wahab Shortfall in allocations to federal government-owned universities, polytechnics and colleges of education has led to a delay in the payment of February salaries to lecturers and other workers in those institutions. Checks by Vanguard at the weekend showed that only a handful of workers in those places were able to get the alerts of their salaries being paid into their accounts by Friday night. It was gathered that up until late on Friday, nobody in those institutions were paid their February salaries. A lecturer at the University of Jos, Plateau State, while replying to enquiry by our correspondent on Saturday said, “Good morning dear brother. There was a reported shortfall in the amount released to the university. However, payment started yesterday and I got alert for mine today.” At the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, the story was the same. A lecturer told our correspondent that people started getting payment alerts on Friday night. “We would not know why the payment was delayed but we started receiving payment alerts on Friday night. We understand that the salary for January was delayed because of the need to start paying the new rates, but this delay is something else,” he stated. Our correspondent also spoke with a national officer of the Congress of University Academics, CONUA, at the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile Ife, Osun State and he confirmed that as at Saturday, he was yet to get his February salary. “I have not got my February salary as we speak, I don’t know whether others have got theirs. I may have to find out if others have been paid,”he said. At the University of Agriculture, Makurdi, Benue State, workers started receiving payment alerts on Friday night too. When contacted, the Director of Press, Federal Ministry of Education, Folasade Boriowo, gave the assurance that the matter would soon be sorted out. “The government will not owe any worker his or her salary. There must be some reasons for the slight delay. I am sure the matter is being sorted out and since payment started on Friday night, others would probably get the salaries by early in the week,” she stated.