Reported by: Ijeoma G | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
The State Wing Executive Council of the Nigeria Union of Teachers, Federal Capital Territory, has officially suspended the ongoing strike by primary and secondary school teachers, ordering them to resume duties on Monday, April 27, 2026. The decision, announced at a news conference in Gwagwalada on Sunday, follows a major financial intervention by FCT Minister Nyesom Wike, who approved a monthly commitment of N5 billion to address the teachers' longstanding welfare demands.
The strike, which began on April 20, 2026, had paralysed academic activities across the six Area Councils and threatened to disrupt the West African Senior School Certificate Examination scheduled to commence on Tuesday. In a communiqué signed by NUT FCT Chairman Comrade Abdullahi M. Shafa, Secretary Comrade Margaret F. Jethro, and Publicity Secretary Comrade Ibukun Adekeye, the union directed teachers to return to classrooms effective Monday, while issuing a conditional warning that failure by the administration to implement the agreement would prompt a reassessment of its position.
The breakthrough came after a series of high-level engagements. During an emergency meeting convened after the strike commenced, Shafa said the minister approved a monthly commitment of N5 billion to address teachers’ outstanding needs. Under the funding framework, N2 billion will be sourced monthly from the FCT’s internally generated revenue, while N3 billion will come from the 10 percent statutory IGR allocation of the Area Councils.
The funds are specifically designated to implement the 40 percent Peculiar Allowance and gradually settle outstanding arrears owed to teachers. The agreement also includes a no-victimisation clause, guaranteeing that no teacher would face sanctions for participating in the industrial action. The union warned that if the FCT Administration fails to honour the agreement, it will have no option but to review its position.
In addition to the financial package, the union secured a key policy concession: the removal of the controversial “vacancy” requirement that had hindered the promotion of qualified teachers. Teachers had earlier faulted the 2024 promotion exercise by the FCT Civil Service Commission, arguing that the policy stalled career progression.
According to union leaders, Wike pledged to engage the commission to remove the vacancy precondition for teacher promotions and review the 2024 promotion exercise to ensure that deserving teachers are promoted without unnecessary restrictions.
The NUT had issued a seven-day ultimatum to the minister on March 11, followed by a 28-day grace period, demanding the release of a committee’s report on harmonising outstanding teacher entitlements. When those demands were not met, the union proceeded on an indefinite strike, citing the alleged failure of the FCT Administration to address long-standing welfare concerns as well as worsening economic conditions.
The strike suspension was met with relief by parents and students, who had faced uncertainty over the academic calendar. Thousands of pupils and students across the six Area Councils are expected to return to their classrooms after days of disruption. The union urged teachers to recommit to their duties and work towards bridging the learning gaps caused by the strike, while reaffirming its commitment to the continued pursuit of improved welfare and standards in the education sector.
The FCT Administration had earlier warned that the strike could trigger a crisis for the West African Examinations Council exams, which begin nationwide on Tuesday. The Mandate Secretary of the FCT Education Secretariat had urged teachers to return to dialogue, cautioning that continued strike action could worsen the situation for students preparing for their final examinations. With the strike now suspended, schools across the Federal Capital Territory are set to reopen, bringing an end to a tense week that had threatened to derail the academic calendar for thousands of students.
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