FCT Primary School Teachers End Strike After ₦16bn Payout
After more than three months of staying at home and being denied their right to basic education due to the non-payment of teachers’ salaries, pupils in public primary schools across the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) can finally return to the classroom.
The FCT wing of the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) has announced the suspension of its prolonged strike with effect from Wednesday, July 9, 2025.
This decision follows the intervention of FCT Minister Nyesom Wike, who convened a stakeholders’ meeting on Thursday, July 3, 2025, to resolve the lingering crisis.
Primary school teachers in the FCT had embarked on a strike on March 24, 2025, protesting the non-payment of salary arrears and the failure to implement the new national minimum wage. As a result, thousands of children were denied access to basic education for over 100 days.
In a communique released after an emergency State Wing Executive Council (SWEC) meeting on Friday, July 4, 2025, the union announced that the strike would be suspended following the release of ₦16 billion for the payment of five months’ arrears and partial implementation of the new minimum wage.
The minister had pledged to use 10% of the internally generated revenue (IGR) from area councils to clear the owed salaries, a move the union described as a “workable pathway” and a positive disposition toward resolving the matter.
The NUT also expressed gratitude to FCT royal fathers, civil society organisations, the National NUT Headquarters, the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), and other stakeholders for their solidarity during the industrial action.
This development has brought much-needed relief to pupils, parents, and teachers in the FCT. However, it highlights the importance of putting sustainable structures in place to ensure that children are never again deprived of their right to education.
