Ogun ASUP: Lecturers Strike Over Unpaid CATA, EAA Allowances

• The Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics in Ogun State initiated a strike over unresolved welfare issues.
• The dispute centers on the implementation of the Consolidated Academic Tools Allowance and Earned Academic Allowance.
• The union asserts the industrial action followed extensive prior dialogue and an expired ultimatum.
• ASUP is urging the Ogun State government to engage in meaningful negotiations to resolve the outstanding demands.
• The union emphasizes that a motivated academic workforce is crucial for quality education and development.

The union maintains that the welfare of academic staff is fundamental to delivering high-quality education, fostering research, driving innovation, and ensuring sustainable development within the state.

The Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP) in Ogun State has commenced an industrial action, now in its third day as of Friday, November 13, 2026. This strike involves lecturers from polytechnics owned by the Ogun State government, marking a significant Nigeria education industrial dispute. The primary catalyst for this action is the state government's perceived failure to address long-standing issues related to the implementation of the Consolidated Academic Tools Allowance (CATA) and the Earned Academic Allowance (EAA).

The union has explicitly stated that this decision to strike was not made impulsively. Instead, it followed a series of engagements with relevant authorities and the expiration of an ultimatum issued to the Ogun State government. ASUP leadership contends that these unresolved matters directly impact the welfare, motivation, and professional dignity of academic staff across the state's tertiary institutions, leaving them with no alternative but to resort to industrial action to protect their legitimate interests.

The Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics Ogun has consistently emphasized that its demands are neither unreasonable nor designed to disrupt the administration of the institutions. Rather, they represent legitimate concerns that require urgent attention from the government. The union firmly believes that a highly motivated academic workforce is essential for the delivery of quality education, the advancement of research, the fostering of innovation, and the promotion of sustainable development within the state.

ASUP has expressed profound concern over what it describes as the government's consistent failure to adequately address issues affecting the well-being and professional standing of its members. The union maintains that the welfare of academic staff is fundamental to delivering high-quality education, fostering research, driving innovation, and ensuring sustainable development within the state. This perspective underscores the union's commitment to both its members' rights and the broader educational ecosystem.

To resolve the ongoing Ogun ASUP strike CATA EAA dispute, ASUP has called upon the Ogun State government to demonstrate a genuine commitment to addressing the outstanding issues surrounding the Consolidated Academic Tools Allowance and Earned Academic Allowance. The union specifically demands immediate and meaningful engagement with its leadership to facilitate an amicable resolution and restore industrial harmony across all state-owned polytechnics.

While acknowledging the potential disruption this Ogun State polytechnic lecturers strike causes for students, parents, and the academic calendar, ASUP insists that sustainable industrial peace cannot be achieved at the expense of fairness, justice, and the welfare of its workers. The union has warned that continued governmental inaction could exacerbate the situation, potentially undermining confidence in the state's tertiary education system. ASUP has reiterated its readiness to return to the negotiating table, provided the government approaches the engagement with sincerity and a willingness to deliver concrete results.

Lawyers advising educational institutions or the Ogun State government should monitor this ongoing industrial dispute for potential legal implications related to labor law, collective bargaining agreements, and the enforcement of employee welfare provisions. Compliance officers in affected polytechnics need to assess the operational impact and potential legal liabilities arising from the strike.

Source: Original reporting via The PUNCH