Primary school teachers in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) have suspended their four-month strike and will resume classrooms starting Wednesday, July 9, 2025.
The decision comes after the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, intervened and secured a significant fund release that addressed critical unpaid entitlements.
At the centre of this resolution was the disbursement of ₦16 billion to settle actual salary arrears.
The funds covered June 2025 salaries under the new minimum wage and 60% of outstanding arrears spanning the past nine months.
Moreover, a special committee was set up to harmonise all remaining arrears within two weeks, aiming for a lasting resolution.
According to The Chairman of the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT), FCT Wing, Abubakar Shafa, the strike will end upon full payment of teacher salaries.
The emergency meeting of the State Wing Executive Council (SWEC) conveyed:
The strike was suspended after stakeholders met on July 3, 2025, and the ₦16 billion was allocated.
Furthermore, Minister Wike approved six months’ worth of 10% of FCT’s Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) to cover salary gaps in Area Councils, whose budgets had proved insufficient.
In addition to the immediate funds, a special committee was established.
Its mandate includes reconciling unpaid entitlements and recommending systemic reforms to prevent future salary delays. According to the communiqué:
Implementation of the new minimum wage and five months of arrears was effected on July 8, 2025.
Therefore, primary school teachers in the FCT have been officially directed to return to work starting Wednesday.
Union leaders praised the patience and solidarity displayed by teachers throughout the strike.
The FCT NUT and government stakeholders have pledged to maintain dialogue.
