Primary and secondary school teachers in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) today resumed an indefinite strike in all the public schools.
Public and private schools are expected to resume for the third term academic session today but the teachers under the umbrella of the Nigeria Union Teachers (NUT) at the weekend directed parents to keep their wards at home.
Abuja Metro reports that the strike follows years of industrial disharmony between the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) and the six Area Council chairmen over unmet demands regarding welfare and entitlements.
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The crisis, which dates back to 2022, primarily centers on the non-implementation of N30,000 minimum wage arrears. These arrears, approved in 2019 under the administration of the late former President Muhammadu Buhari, have reportedly accrued for 25 months.
The struggle for these entitlements has seen several cycles of strikes and temporary resolutions.
In January 2022, a two-month strike was suspended after the then-FCT Minister of State, Hajiya Ramatu Tijjani Aliyu, brokered a deal. A template was signed by the six Area Council chairmen to deduct N30 million monthly from their Joint Account Allocation Committee (JAAC) coffers to liquidate the debt. However, the union claims the chairmen honored this agreement only once.
In September 2023, the current FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, intervened during another strike action.
He established a six-man committee led by the Minister of State, Hajiya Mariya Mahmoud. While Minister Wike fulfilled his promise to pay 40% of the arrears, the Area Council chairmen, responsible for the remaining 60%, allegedly reneged on the agreement.
The dispute reached a boiling point in late 2024 when teachers barricaded Area Council secretariats. While the N70,000 minimum wage was eventually implemented in July 2025 following direct deductions by the Minister, other outstanding entitlements remained unresolved.
On March 11, 2026, the NUT issued a seven-day ultimatum to Minister Wike, followed by a 28-day grace period, demanding the release of the committee's report on harmonizing outstanding teacher entitlements.
Following an emergency State Working Executive Committee (SWEC) meeting on Friday, April 18, 2026, the union directed all teachers to down tools, citing a lack of "tangible response" from the authorities.
Parents, stakeholders react
The resumption of the strike has sparked widespread concern among parents and educationists who fear the long-term impact on students.
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Mrs. Ramatu Ibrahim, a parent, expressed her frustration as children were expected to resume for their second academic term.
"It is embarrassing that for over six years, FCT teachers and the government have been at daggers drawn. Abuja, being the nation's capital, should set a precedent for other states to emulate, not leave parents feeling the heat of these constant disruptions," she said.
Another parent, Musbahu Suleiman, highlighted the timing of the strike as particularly damaging.
"Allowing teachers to strike when secondary students are expected to commence their WAEC exams is improper. This jeopardizes the students' chances and disrupts a school calendar that was already rushed during the last strike action," Suleiman noted.
An educationist, Mr. Kehinde Abdulgafar, described the situation as "unhealthy for the wellbeing of every child."
He called for a structural change, suggesting that teacher welfare be handled directly by the federal government rather than local politicians to avert recurring industrial actions.
"It is a shame that the world reads about schools in the nation's capital being shut down again for issues that have been foot-dragging for six years," Abdulgafar added.
Reacting to the development, the Chairman of the Parents Teachers Association (PTA) in the FCT, Alhaji Usman Abubakar, appealed to Minister Nyesom Wike to intervene urgently.
He urged the administration to prioritize the teachers' demands to protect the future of students in the territory.
