The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Federal Capital Territory Council, has commenced an indefinite strike across the nation’s capital over unresolved disputes involving the promotion and career progression of teachers and other education-sector workers.

The industrial action began on Wednesday, October 7, 2026, following the expiration of a seven-day ultimatum issued to the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA).

The NLC FCT Council, led by Chairman Knabayi Adalo, said its decision followed an emergency State Executive Council meeting where members reviewed the response received from the FCT Administration.

The labour body described the administration’s response as inadequate and said it failed to resolve what it considers the major issues affecting teachers in the territory.

One of the central demands is the removal of the vacancy requirement currently linked to the promotion of FCT teachers. The NLC argued that making promotion dependent on the availability of vacancies has contributed to career stagnation among teachers.

The union maintained that teachers were recruited specifically for teaching duties and should not be treated in the same way as pool officers within the civil service when promotion decisions are being made.

The NLC is also demanding the withdrawal of redeployment and demotion letters issued to directors in education-related agencies who are covered by the Harmonised Retirement Age for Teachers in Nigeria Act, 2022.

Another demand concerns teachers who were eligible for promotion in 2025 but were unable to take the relevant examination. The union wants those affected teachers to be allowed to sit for the examination alongside the 2026 batch.

The labour body has further called for changes involving the management of the FCT Secondary Education Board and the FCT Universal Basic Education Board.

The dispute had been building for weeks. On September 8, the NLC FCT Council issued a seven-day ultimatum to FCT Minister Nyesom Wike, warning that failure to resolve the outstanding issues would lead to industrial action.

The FCT Administration subsequently communicated that Wike had directed a stay of action on some of the issues and that the 2025 promotion examination for affected education officers should be rescheduled.

However, the NLC said the response did not adequately address the vacancy requirement or the concerns surrounding the redeployment of senior education officials.

The council has therefore directed workers across the FCT to withdraw their services until the dispute is resolved. The directive covers affiliate unions in both the public and private sectors.

Schools, hospitals, government offices and other establishments are expected to be affected by the action, while enforcement committees have been established to monitor compliance across the territory.

The Nigeria Union of Teachers, FCT Wing, has also directed teachers in public primary and secondary schools across the territory to stay away from classrooms pending further directives.

The NLC has appealed to parents, civil society organisations and other stakeholders to support efforts aimed at resolving the dispute, warning that a prolonged disagreement could further disrupt education and other public services in Abuja.

The FCT Administration, however, has previously defended its promotion policy, arguing that advancement within the public service should take into account established vacancies, approved positions and available resources. The Academic Staff Union of Secondary Schools (ASUSS), FCT Chapter, has also distanced itself from the industrial action and backed the administration’s authority to deploy personnel where necessary.

For now, the NLC says the strike will continue indefinitely until its demands are addressed, leaving residents, parents, students and businesses across the Federal Capital Territory facing possible disruptions.

Reporting by TalkNaijaMedia