The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Federal Capital Territory Council, has commenced an indefinite strike across the FCT over unresolved disputes surrounding the promotion and career progression of teachers.
The strike began on Wednesday, October 7, following the expiration of a seven-day ultimatum issued to the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) on September 8.
The NLC directed workers in both the public and private sectors to withdraw their services, with schools, hospitals, offices, and other government establishments expected to remain shut until its demands are addressed.
At the center of the dispute is the FCTA’s requirement that teachers must have an available vacancy before they can be promoted. The NLC rejected the policy, arguing that teachers are employed specifically to teach and should be promoted when due rather than being subjected to a vacancy-based system.
The union said the policy had contributed to prolonged career stagnation among teachers.
The NLC is also demanding that teachers who were eligible for promotion in 2025 be allowed to sit for their promotion examinations before or alongside the 2026 candidates. It further wants the withdrawal of redeployment and demotion letters issued to education directors covered by the Harmonized Retirement Age for Teachers Act, 2022.
NLC FCT Chairman Knabayi Adalo said the council rejected the FCTA’s response to its ultimatum as “ambiguous, dismissive, and totally unacceptable,” accusing the administration of failing to address the vacancy clause and the redeployment of directors.
The union has directed its affiliate unions to mobilize workers and ensure compliance with the strike while appealing to parents, residents, and civil society organizations to prevail on the FCTA to resolve the dispute.
The FCTA had earlier defended the use of vacancies in promotion decisions, saying promotions in the public service must be based on established cadres, approved vacancies, and available budgetary provisions.
The NLC, however, insisted that the strike would be “total and indefinite” until its demands are met.
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