Wike pledges 6 months of Area Council IGR to resolve FCT teachers’ strike as unions demand 70% payment. NUT to decide after emergency executive meeting
FCT Minister Nyesom Wike has intervened in the ongoing FCT teachers’ strike, pledging to withdraw 10% of the internally generated revenue (IGR) of the six Area Councils over the next six months to offset salary arrears and other entitlements owed to teachers in Abuja.
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The minister met on Thursday with leaders of the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT), the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), and the Chairmen of the six Area Councils in the Federal Capital Territory. The meeting took place at his official residence in Abuja.
The teachers’ strike, which began on March 24, 2025, was triggered by the non-implementation of a tripartite agreement signed on December 11, 2024.
That agreement includes demands for a ₦70,000 minimum wage for teachers, payment of 25%–35% salary arrears, a 40% peculiar allowance, a ₦35,000 wage award announced by the Federal Government, and the settlement of several years’ promotion arrears.
Speaking after the closed-door meeting, the Chairman of Abaji Area Council, Abubakar Abdullahi, said the chairmen had reluctantly accepted to forfeit six months’ IGR to resolve the crisis.
“The decision is painful, but we accepted it in good faith. The Minister himself acknowledged he has no legal power to compel the councils to surrender 10% of their IGR, but we agreed in the interest of peace and education,” Abdullahi said.
He appealed to the teachers’ union to call off the strike immediately so that students could return to school without further delay.
“We hope the NUT will call off the strike before the close of work today so our children can return to school tomorrow,” he added.
NANS President, Olushola Ladoja, who was also present at the meeting, confirmed that the union had agreed to a 70% immediate payment of outstanding entitlements as a condition to suspend the strike.
We hope the NUT will call off the strike before the close of work today so our children can return to school tomorrow.
“The NUT requested 70% of the total owed sum. After reviewing the councils’ IGR, it was agreed this could be covered. The minister then directed that this amount be released from the councils’ IGR,” Ladoja explained.
He added that a committee had been constituted, with representation from NANS, to address the remaining 30% of demands and submit recommendations within two weeks.
“The minister’s effort, despite the legal constraints, deserves commendation. He took a firm but diplomatic step to resolve the matter peacefully,” Ladoja said.
On his part, the Chairman of the FCT wing of the NUT, Abdullahi Shafas, said the union would convene an emergency State Wing Executive Council (SWEC) meeting to deliberate on the new offer and make a final decision.
“We’ve listened to all parties. Now we’ll take the matter back to the appropriate decision-making body of the union to determine our next steps,” Shafas said.
The intervention appears to be the most significant breakthrough in the standoff, which has left thousands of schoolchildren in Abuja out of classrooms for over three months.
Political analysts say Wike’s approach signals an active interest in stabilising education in the FCT while balancing legal and financial constraints.
The use of internally generated revenue from Area Councils, while unconventional, reflects a pragmatic compromise amid growing public pressure.
The teachers’ strike has disrupted academic activities in both primary and secondary schools across Abuja, sparking protests by students and parents.
Also read: FG Asks Labour To Shelve Planned Strike, Threatens Contempt Charge
While the NUT has not officially suspended the industrial action, stakeholders remain optimistic that a resolution is now imminent.
