The Federal Capital Territory Council of Nigeria’s Labour Congress has launched an indefinite strike over the promotion and working conditions of teachers in Abuja.
The strike began on Wednesday after the FCT Administration failed to resolve demands raised in a seven-day ultimatum. The union directed workers in public and private institutions, including schools, hospitals and government offices, to stop work.
At the centre of the dispute is a policy requiring vacancies to be available before teachers can be promoted. The labour council says the system has left many teachers unable to advance in their careers and should not apply to the teaching profession.
The union is also demanding promotion examinations for teachers who became eligible in 2025, the withdrawal of redeployment and demotion orders affecting some senior education officials, and the reinstatement of the dissolved management teams of the FCT’s basic and secondary education boards.
The strike was approved at a meeting of the FCT labour council on October 6, after members rejected the administration’s response to their demands. The union said the response failed to address what it considers the main causes of teachers’ career stagnation.
