Back To School: FCT Teachers Suspend Prolonged Strike, Set To Resume July 9

After over three months of industrial action, primary school teachers under the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) wing of the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) have officially suspended their strike. Teachers are now directed to resume duties on Wednesday, July 9, 2025.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶

The decision to end the strike came after the intervention of FCT Minister Nyesom Wike, who convened a high-level stakeholders’ meeting on Thursday, July 3, aimed at resolving the prolonged standoff.

In a communiqué dated July 4 and released to the media on Tuesday, the NUT leadership announced that Wike’s financial commitments offered a workable solution to temporarily end the strike, which began on March 24, 2025.

The strike action had been triggered by the non-payment of salary arrears and failure of area councils to implement the new national minimum wage.

To address the crisis, Minister Wike directed that 10% of Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) from the six Area Councils be allocated towards settling outstanding teacher salaries—a move resulting in a ₦16 billion bailout.

According to the communiqué signed by NUT Chairman Abdullahi Shafas, State Secretary Margaret Jethro, and Publicity Secretary Ibukun Adekeye, the union’s State Wing Executive Council (SWEC) resolved to suspend the strike following the release of the ₦16 billion and confirmation of payments into teachers’ accounts.

“After thorough deliberation on the minister’s intervention and his willingness for the FCTA to take over the payment of primary school teachers’ salaries, the SWEC resolved to suspend the strike action upon the disbursement of the ₦16 billion,” the communiqué stated.

The NUT confirmed that teachers had received five months’ salary arrears and that the implementation of the new minimum wage had commenced.

“As of July 8, 2025, five months’ arrears have been credited to the teachers’ accounts. Consequently, the SWEC hereby suspends the ongoing strike and calls on all primary school teachers across the FCT to return to work on Wednesday, July 9,” the union added.

However, the union emphasized it would continue to monitor developments to ensure that all outstanding entitlements are fully paid.

The FCT NUT extended gratitude to its members and various stakeholders for their steadfast support during the industrial action.

“The SWEC appreciates all primary school teachers for their resilience, unity, and prayers throughout the strike,” the statement read, also thanking traditional rulers, civil society groups, and the national leadership of both the NUT and Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) for their interventions.

As schools reopen, teachers are expected back in classrooms across the FCT, while the government begins phased execution of its financial commitments.