Teachers under the Federal Capital Territory chapter of the Nigeria Union of Teachers have commenced an indefinite strike effective Monday, shutting down public primary schools across the six area councils. The action follows the expiration of an ultimatum issued to the FCT Administration and area council chairmen over unpaid salary arrears, promotion benefits, and other entitlements.
State Chairman of the NUT-FCT, Comrade Abdullahi Shafas, said the decision was reached after several rounds of dialogue yielded no concrete commitment from the authorities. He disclosed that teachers are being owed arrears of the 25% and 35% salary increase, promotion arrears dating back years, and the N35,000 wage award palliatives. “We have been patient for too long. Our members can no longer go to class on empty stomachs,” Shafas stated.
The strike affects thousands of pupils in LEA primary schools across Abuja Municipal, Bwari, Gwagwalada, Kuje, Kwali, and Abaji. Parents who took children to school Monday morning were turned back at the gates, with only security guards and non-teaching staff present. Some schools displayed handwritten notices announcing the suspension of academic activities “until further notice.”
NUT officials insist the industrial action is total and indefinite, warning members against resuming work until all demands are met and backed with documented evidence of payment. The union also accused area council chairmen of failing to implement the new minimum wage and skipping deductions for pensions, cooperative societies, and union dues despite deducting from teachers’ salaries.
Reacting to the strike, the FCT Education Secretariat acknowledged the teachers’ grievances and appealed for understanding, saying discussions were ongoing with the FCT Administration to source funds. A senior official, who asked not to be named, noted that the wage award and promotion arrears involve huge liabilities spread across six councils, but assured that “the minister is not sleeping on it.”
Parents and civil society groups have expressed frustration over the recurring disruption of the academic calendar. The FCT has witnessed multiple NUT strikes in recent years, often tied to the same issues of unpaid allowances and the peculiar funding structure of LEA schools under area councils rather than directly under the FCT Administration.
As of Monday afternoon, classrooms remained locked while pupils loitered in uniforms or returned home. The NUT-FCT said it would only suspend the strike after alerts are received and verified, adding that a monitoring team has been deployed to ensure compliance. Until then, learning in public primary schools across Abuja remains on hold.