Muhammed Abubakar, Reporting
THE Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Council of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has declared an indefinite total strike across Abuja, effectively shutting down public and private sector activities from Wednesday.
The industrial action follows the expiration of a seven-day ultimatum issued to the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) on 8 September 2026 over unresolved welfare grievances affecting teachers in the territory.
In a communiqué and press statement signed by the NLC FCT Council Chairman, Comrade Knabayi S. Adalo, the union rejected the FCTA’s response to its demands, describing it as “ambiguous, dismissive and totally unacceptable.”
The Dispute
At the heart of the row is the FCTA’s implementation of the “vacancy clause”, which makes available establishment positions a precondition for teachers to access promotion.
The NLC has faulted the policy, arguing that teachers are recruited by the FCT Universal Basic Education Board (FCT UBEB) and the FCT Secondary Education Board (FCT SEB) specifically for teaching responsibilities and should not be treated as core civil servants or pool officers.
According to the union, applying vacancy-based promotion requirements designed for pool officers to teachers has created career stagnation, frustration and a loss of morale among educators.
The Demands
The Congress has listed its demands as follows:
· The immediate removal of the vacancy clause as a requirement for teachers’ promotion;
· Eligible 2025 candidates to sit for promotion examinations alongside or ahead of 2026 candidates;
· The withdrawal of redeployment and demotion letters issued to directors benefiting from the Harmonised Retirement Age for Teachers Act, 2022;
· The dissolution and reconstitution of the management teams of the FCT SEB and FCT UBEB.
Total Shutdown
The NLC has directed workers in both the public and private sectors — including affiliate unions in schools, hospitals, offices and government institutions — to withdraw their services from 7 October until its demands are fully addressed.
The union also announced the establishment of enforcement committees to mobilise workers and monitor compliance with the strike directive across the FCT.
“Teachers are not core civil servants nor pool staff and cannot be subjected to vacancy-based promotion meant for pool officers,” Mr Adalo said.
“The FCTA’s attempt to sustain industrial harmony without addressing injustice is mere wishful thinking. There can be no peace without justice.”
Appeal to Residents
The NLC has appealed to parents, FCT residents and civil society groups to support the action, warning that failure to resolve the dispute could lead to a total breakdown of the territory’s education sector.
The strike is expected to paralyse activities in schools, hospitals and government offices across the capital, with parents and residents bracing for widespread disruption.
This is a developing story. Stonix News will bring you further updates as they emerge.
