By Asaye Bankole
The Nigeria Labour Congress, FCT Council, has ordered an indefinite strike across the Federal Capital Territory over unresolved grievances relating to the promotion, welfare and working conditions of teachers.
The strike commenced on Wednesday, October 7, 2026, following a resolution reached by the union’s State Executive Council at a meeting held at Labour House in Abuja.
The FCT NLC Chairman, Knabayi S. Adalo, said in a statement that workers in both the public and private sectors had been directed to withdraw their services and remain at home until further notice.
The decision came after the expiration of a seven-day ultimatum issued to the FCT Administration over the union’s demands concerning teachers.
The NLC is asking the administration to remove the vacancy condition attached to the promotion of FCT teachers and allow qualified teachers from the 2025 group to participate in their promotion examinations.
The union is also demanding the withdrawal of redeployment and demotion letters issued to directors who benefited from the Harmonised Teachers Retirement Age Act, 2022.
According to the labour body, the FCT Administration failed to provide satisfactory solutions to the issues raised in its ultimatum.
The NLC argued that teachers should not be treated as pool officers who can only be promoted when vacancies become available.
It maintained that teachers are employed specifically to teach and should be promoted once they meet the necessary requirements.
The union further accused the administration of seeking industrial harmony without addressing what it described as unfair treatment of teachers.
It subsequently directed all workers in the FCT, including employees in the public and private sectors, to stay away from their duty posts from October 7 until further notice.
The NLC appealed to parents and residents to remain patient during the industrial action and called on civil society organisations and other Nigerians to intervene in the dispute.
The union warned that the action was not a warning strike, stressing that it would continue indefinitely until its demands were satisfactorily addressed.
The FCT Administration had not publicly responded to the latest strike declaration as of the time of filing the report.
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