Reported by: Ijeoma G | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
Government schools across the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, have been affected by an indefinite strike declared by the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), forcing a halt to normal academic activities from Wednesday, October 7, 2026.
The NLC FCT Council directed workers across the territory, including those in schools, hospitals, offices and other government establishments, to withdraw their services indefinitely.
The action followed the expiration of a seven-day ultimatum issued to the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) over unresolved grievances concerning the promotion, redeployment and welfare of teachers in the territory.
In a communiqué signed by the NLC FCT Council Chairman, Knabayi S. Adalo, the union described the FCTA’s response to its demands as unacceptable and directed all affiliated unions to fully comply with the industrial action.
The dispute centres largely on the use of a vacancy requirement for the promotion of FCT teachers. The NLC is demanding that the condition be removed, arguing that teachers should not be subjected to a promotion system designed for pool officers in the civil service.
The union is also demanding that teachers who became eligible for promotion in 2025 be allowed to sit for their promotion examinations alongside, or before, the 2026 candidates.
Other demands include the reversal of redeployment and demotion letters issued to affected school directors and changes to the management structure of the FCT Universal Basic Education Board and FCT Secondary Education Board.
The FCT wing of the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) subsequently directed primary and secondary school teachers across the territory to remain at home and await further instructions.
With teachers withdrawing their services and the wider NLC directive covering government establishments, public schools in Abuja have been shut as the industrial action takes effect.
Parents and students have consequently been affected, with reports indicating that students were sent home as school activities were disrupted.
The current strike is not the first major industrial dispute involving FCT teachers this year. In April 2026, teachers also embarked on an indefinite strike over outstanding welfare and promotion-related issues, resulting in the closure of several public schools across the territory.
The latest action, however, extends beyond schools, as the NLC has instructed public and private sector workers across the FCT to stay away from their duty posts until the union’s demands are addressed.
The union has also established enforcement committees to monitor compliance with the strike across the Federal Capital Territory.
The FCT Administration has yet to announce a resolution to the dispute, while the NLC is maintaining that the strike will continue indefinitely until its demands are met.
Parents and guardians in Abuja are therefore facing uncertainty over when normal school activities will resume, as negotiations between labour representatives and the FCT Administration remain unresolved.
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