PRIMARY and secondary school teachers in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) have been directed to commence an indefinite strike from Monday, following unresolved welfare issues and delays in implementing agreed reforms.
The directive was issued by the State Wing Executive Council (SWEC) of the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT), FCT chapter, jointly signed by Chairman Abdullahi Shafa, Secretary Margaret Jethro, and Publicity Secretary Ibukun Adekeye. After an emergency meeting held in Gwagwalada, Abuja, on Friday, the union instructed all teachers to comply fully with the strike and await further directives.
The union said the decision followed the expiration of a seven-day ultimatum issued to the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, over the non-implementation of key agreements affecting teachers’ welfare.
While acknowledging the minister’s intervention in approving the N70,000 minimum wage and settling nine months’ salary arrears, the union expressed concern over the government’s failure to act on the report of a committee set up in July 2025.
“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 statement read.
According to the union, the committee was mandated to harmonise outstanding entitlements and propose lasting solutions to recurring disputes involving FCT primary school teachers. Although the panel submitted its report in August 2025, its recommendations have yet to be made public or implemented.
“The committee concluded its assignment and submitted its report in August 2025, however, the report is yet to be made public,” it added.
The union said it had demanded that the Wike-led FCT Administration, within the seven-day ultimatum, release and begin implementation of the report addressing outstanding entitlements of primary school teachers.
It also called for the removal of the “vacancies” condition attached to the promotion of classroom teachers, and a comprehensive review of the 2024 promotion exercise conducted by the FCT Civil Service Commission to ensure eligible teachers are promoted without hindrance.
The union expressed concern that despite the expiration of the initial seven-day ultimatum on March 19, and an additional 28-day grace period granted to the authorities, there has been no concrete response to the issues raised.
The NUT said the prolonged delay, coupled with the government’s silence on teachers’ outstanding demands amid worsening economic conditions, left it with no option but to resume strike action, adding that teachers will remain off duty until all pending issues are addressed.
“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.
Parents were also advised to keep their children at home until further notice, as schools will remain shut during the industrial action.
Nanji is an investigative journalist with the ICIR. She has years of experience in reporting and broadcasting human angle stories, gender inequalities, minority stories, and human rights issues. She has documented sexual war crimes in armed conflict, sex for grades in Nigerian Universities, harmful traditional practices and human trafficking.