FCT teachers to begin indefinite strike Monday

• Nigeria Union of Teachers has directed all public primary and secondary school teachers in the Federal Capital Territory to begin an indefinite strike.

• Despite the new ₦70,000 minimum wage, teachers are protesting unpaid entitlements and delays in implementing the 2025 report.

• They are demanding a review of the 2024 promotion process and removal of restrictive “vacancy” conditions.

• Parents have been advised to keep children at home as the strike continues until concerns are addressed.

Primary and secondary school teachers in the Federal Capital Territory are set to begin an indefinite strike from Monday, following a directive from the State Wing Executive Council of the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT), FCT.

The decision was reached during an emergency SWEC meeting held in Gwagwalada, Abuja, on Friday, according to a communiqué jointly signed by the State Chairman, Abdullahi Shafa; State Secretary, Margaret Jethro; and State Publicity Secretary, Ibukun Adekeye.

In the communiqué made available to journalists in Abuja on Saturday, the union instructed teachers to stay off duty and wait for further directives. Parents were also advised to keep their children at home until the situation is resolved.

The union made it clear that teachers would remain at home until their demands are addressed.

According to the communiqué, the latest move follows the expiration of a seven-day ultimatum issued to the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, on March 11, which later ran out on March 29 without any response.

While acknowledging some steps already taken, the union said it appreciated Wike for implementing the ₦70,000 minimum wage and paying nine months’ arrears to primary school teachers in the FCT. However, it noted that other key issues remained unresolved, particularly those linked to a committee set up in July 2025.

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“The Minister constituted a committee on July 7, 2025 with a mandate to, within two weeks, harmonise all outstanding entitlements of primary school teachers.

“The committee was also directed to make appropriate recommendations that would lead to a permanent solution to the frequent industrial disputes involving FCT Primary School Teachers.

“The committee concluded its assignment and submitted its report in August 2025, however, the report is yet to be made public,” the union stated.

The teachers’ union explained that the seven-day ultimatum was issued because of the delay in implementing the committee’s report and what it described as continued silence on teachers’ welfare demands, especially amid worsening economic conditions.

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Among the demands listed were the immediate release and implementation of the committee’s report on outstanding entitlements, removal of the “vacancies” condition for teachers’ promotion, and a total review of the 2024 promotion exercise conducted by the FCT Civil Service Commission.

The union also expressed concern that even after the expiration of the seven-day ultimatum, including an additional 28-day grace period, authorities had not responded.

“After exhaustive deliberations on the industrial issues and the silence on the legitimate demands of teachers’ welfare, the Council resolved that all public primary and secondary school teachers in the FCT shall, with effect from Monday, proceed on an indefinite strike until our demands are met,” the union said.

For now, classrooms across public primary and secondary schools in the FCT are expected to remain empty, as teachers prepare to stay home indefinitely, waiting for a response that, according to them, has taken too long to come.