Victoria Mbangwa
In a bold move to end a prolonged teachers’ strike that has crippled public primary schools in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) for over three months, the six Area Council chairmen have agreed to forfeit 10 per cent of their internally generated revenue (IGR) for the next six months.
The decision was reached during a closed-door meeting convened on Thursday by FCT Minister Nyesom Wike at his official residence in Abuja. The meeting brought together representatives of the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT), the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), and the council chairmen.
Speaking to journalists after the meeting, the Chairman of Abaji Area Council, Abubakar Abdullahi, who spoke on behalf of his colleagues, confirmed that the councils had unanimously agreed to the revenue concession in order to resolve the teachers’ grievances and facilitate the return of pupils to classrooms.
“We just finished a meeting with the minister, the leadership of the NUT, and all Area Council chairmen,” Abdullahi said. “Resolutions were passed. Though it didn’t go in favour of the Area Councils, we agreed to forfeit our IGR for six months to settle this issue. We want our children back in school.”
The FCT public school teachers had embarked on strike to demand the full implementation of a tripartite agreement signed on December 11, 2024. The agreement included the payment of a N70,000 minimum wage, 25–35 per cent salary arrears, a 40 per cent peculiar allowance, a N35,000 wage award, and several years of promotion arrears.
While the strike has disrupted academic activities across the territory, the union’s leadership insisted that only the fulfillment of these obligations would lead to a suspension of the action.
NANS President, Olushola Ladoja, who also addressed the press after the meeting, said the NUT proposed to receive at least 70 per cent of the total outstanding entitlements before considering a return to work.
“Fortunately, when they calculated the 10 per cent IGR deductions over six months, it amounted to 70 per cent of the money owed,” Ladoja said. “The minister assured that the funds would be paid to the teachers and pleaded with them to call off the strike.”
He further noted that a joint committee, which includes NANS and other key stakeholders, was set up to address the remaining demands within two weeks.
The FCT NUT chairman, Abdullahi Shafas, said the union would convene a State Wing Executive Council meeting to review the resolutions and make a final decision.
The teachers’ strike, which began in March 2025, has affected thousands of pupils across the six area councils: Abaji, Gwagwalada, Bwari, Kwali, Kuje, and Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC).
