Teachers in primary schools across the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, have initiated a fresh strike over the non-implementation of the newly approved ₦70,000 minimum wage by the administration led by FCT Minister Nyesom Wike. The strike, which began on Monday, disrupted academic activities and forced pupils to return home, just three days before the scheduled conclusion of their first-term examinations.
This development follows a series of strikes that have plagued the current academic term. The most recent strike began on September 18, shortly after the term commenced, and lasted until October 7, leaving students out of school for nearly three weeks. However, as pupils returned on Monday to complete their first-term exams, they were met with locked gates and an ongoing industrial action.
The Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) had earlier declared an indefinite strike, effective December 1, 2024, over the failure to implement the ₦70,000 minimum wage arrears in the FCT. According to the NLC, despite notifying the six area council chairmen of its demands during a National Executive Council (NEC) meeting held on November 11 in Port Harcourt, they failed to act. The union’s FCT Chairman, Comrade Stephen Knabayi, criticized the area councils for neglecting to comply with the new wage policy.
On Monday, Comrade Ameh Baba, Chairman of the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT), Kubwa chapter, emphasized that the strike was a direct response to the area councils’ failure to meet the December 1 deadline set by the NLC. Baba highlighted unresolved issues, including the non-payment of arrears, a ₦40,000 peculiar allowance, and a ₦35,000 wage award owed to teachers for over a year. While Minister Wike had approved the new wage, the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) teachers have yet to receive the adjustments promised.
Baba warned that the strike would persist until teachers’ demands were met, reflecting a broader nationwide challenge in implementing the newly approved minimum wage. Although some states have pledged to start payments by December, others have yet to provide any clear timelines, intensifying frustrations among workers.