The Federal Ministry of Education has formally withdrawn a letter that purportedly conveyed approval for a 30 percent increase in the consolidated salary structure for non-teaching staff in Colleges of Education across Nigeria.
In an official communication dated April 16, 2026, and signed by Dr. U. C. Uba, Director, Colleges of Education Department, the Ministry described the earlier release as unauthorized and directed that its contents be disregarded pending proper review and official dissemination through approved channels.
The letter was addressed to the General Secretary of the Non-Academic Staff Union of Education and Associated Institutions (NASU) in Abuja.
According to the Ministry, the earlier document was circulated publicly without due authorization and did not follow the established communication and approval procedures required for such sensitive matters. Because of this, all claims contained in the withdrawn letter should be ignored in their entirety until a valid and officially approved communication is issued.
The Ministry disclosed that immediate steps had already been taken to retract the circulated document and halt any actions or processes that may have been initiated based on the contents of the letter. It also assured stakeholders that all relevant parties would be duly informed of the withdrawal.
Despite the withdrawal, the Ministry stated that ongoing negotiations with the relevant non-academic staff unions in tertiary institutions would continue, with a firm commitment to achieving the desired outcomes. This assurance may provide some relief to workers who had welcomed reports of the proposed salary increase before the latest development.
The decision is expected to generate reactions among members of NASU and other affected unions, many of whom had anticipated implementation of the reported salary adjustment. Labour stakeholders are now likely to await further clarification from the Federal Government on the status of salary review discussions and any eventual approval that may emerge from the ongoing negotiations.
The issue of improved welfare and salary enhancement for non-teaching staff in Nigeria’s tertiary institutions has remained a major subject of engagement between unions and the Federal Government in recent years, amid rising economic pressures and calls for better working conditions. With the latest reversal, attention now shifts to the next official communication from the Ministry and the outcome of ongoing talks with labour representatives.
