The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has threatened to shut down the Federal Capital Territory with an indefinite strike after issuing a seven-day ultimatum to the FCT Administration over an unresolved welfare dispute involving local teachers.
In a letter sent on 8 September to the FCT Minister, NLC FCT Council Chairman Knabayi S. Adalo warned that all workers in the capital would down tools unless the administration meets three specific demands.
The crisis stems from months of tension between the FCT Civil Service Commission and the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT). Tensions spilled over nearly two months ago when teachers protested against a controversial “vacancy clause” during the 2025 promotion exams, arguing that applying the requirement to non-pool field staff causes “serious career stagnation”.
The union is now demanding the immediate removal of that vacancy clause, along with lifting the ban on teachers excluded from the 2025 promotion exams so they may sit alongside 2026 candidates. Labour leaders are also insisting on the reversal of decisions redeploying Directors of Educational Agencies back to classrooms to be replaced by junior officers, describing the move as “demoralising, humiliating and an aberration to the Public Service Structure.” Furthermore, the congress demands full compliance with the Harmonised Retirement Age for Teachers in Nigeria Act 2022, which sets compulsory retirement at 65 years of age or 40 years of service.
The legal backing for the teachers’ stance was bolstered in July when the National Industrial Court ruled that the civil service’s eight-year tenure limit for directors could not override the 2022 Act, subsequently nullifying recent circulars from the Federal Ministry of Education and the Head of the Civil Service.
Official guidelines from the FCT Secondary Education Board maintain that promotions depend on available vacancies and written exams. However, union representatives contend that repeated negotiations, formal letters, and peaceful demonstrations have yielded no concrete progress.
While the NLC affirmed it remains open to dialogue, it stressed that the ongoing neglect of teachers would no longer be tolerated if the seven-day deadline passes without action.