The Colleges of Education Academic Staff Union (COEASU) has called on the Federal Government and state governments to ensure the full and timely implementation of the 2026 renegotiated agreement, particularly provisions covering lecturers’ allowances, welfare and career progression.
The union’s National President, Dr Ahmed Lawan Waziri, made the call on Wednesday during COEASU’s 2026 Teachers’ Day celebration at Ukeje Hall, the headquarters of the National Commission for Colleges of Education (NCCE), in Abuja. He said the benefits of the agreement would only be realised when its provisions translated into tangible improvements in lecturers’ working conditions.
Waziri urged the relevant authorities to incorporate agreed allowances into lecturers’ monthly emoluments and implement the seven-rung academic career structure. He stressed that commitments reached through negotiations must be honoured in full and within the agreed timeframe.
He also appealed to state governments and the management of state-owned colleges of education to give the agreement the attention it deserved, noting that lecturers in those institutions played an equally important role in training teachers across the country.
The COEASU president commended President Bola Tinubu, the Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, the Minister of State for Education, Professor Suwaiba Saad Ahmad, and other officials involved in the renegotiation process. He expressed the union’s commitment to constructive engagement with government and institutional management to resolve challenges affecting the education sector.
Waziri also called for adequate funding, staffing, facilities and clear academic guidelines for the dual-mandate policy, which allows eligible colleges of education to offer both the Nigeria Certificate in Education (NCE) and approved degree programmes. He cautioned that expanding degree programmes should not undermine the NCE qualification, stressing the need to strengthen both pathways within the teacher education system.
Speaking at the event on behalf of the education minister, NCCE Executive Secretary, Dr Angela Ajala, reaffirmed the government’s commitment to strengthening teacher education and improving teachers’ professional capacity. She highlighted the growing influence of digital technology, artificial intelligence and inclusive education, saying teachers needed continuous professional development to respond effectively to changing classroom demands.
The event also featured the presentation of scholarships to outstanding NCE students from Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones and the unveiling of COEASU’s maiden academic journal. Organisers said the initiatives were intended to promote academic excellence, research and professional development in teacher education.
The union’s demand comes as the Federal Government and staff unions in tertiary institutions seek to translate recently renegotiated agreements into practical improvements in workers’ welfare. The extent to which the outstanding provisions are implemented is expected to shape relations between the government and education-sector unions in the months ahead.
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