The Federal Capital Territory Wing of the Nigerian Union of Teachers (NUT) has suspended a strike embarked upon by primary school teachers in the FCT on March 24, 2025.

The union urged all primary school teachers to resume school on Wednesday, July 9, 2025.

This was contained in its communique after a State Wing Executive Council Meeting dated 4 July, 2025, and made available to Channels Television on Tuesday, July 8, 2025.

The union said that the suspension of the strike followed the intervention of the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, who ordered the release of N16 billion for the settlement of part of the salaries.

The NUT appreciated the teachers for their unwavering support, solidarity and prayers during the four-month strike period.

According to the Communique, “Having deliberated exhaustively on the aforementioned offers, including the positive disposition of the Honourable Minister for the taking over the payment of the Primary School Teachers emoluments by the FCTA, the SWEC-In-Session resolved to suspend the Strike action on the release of the N16 billion and its payment to the Teachers accounts.

“Consequent upon the implementation of the New Minimum Wage and payment of five months Arrears into the Teachers accounts today, 8th July 2025; the SWEC, hereby suspends the ongoing Strike action and appeals to all Primary School Teachers in FCT to, with effect from Wednesday, 9th July 2025 return to the classrooms and continue with their legitimate duties while the Union intensifies more efforts to ensure the settlement of the remaining entitlements.”

See the full text of the statement below:

NIGERIA UNION OF TEACHERS

FCT WING ABUJA

SECRETARIAT

FCT Teachers House

Alter Sharia Court Along Dukpa Road, Owagwants

4TH JULY, 2025

COMMUNIQUÉ ISSUED AT THE END OF AN EMERGENCY STATE WING EXECUTIVE COUNCIL (SWEC) MEETING OF THE NIGERIA UNION OF TEACHERS (NUT) FCT WING AT FCT TEACHERS HOUSE, GWAGWALADA ABUJA ON FRIDAY, 4TH JULY, 2025

Following the ongoing Strike Action by the Primary School Teachers in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) from the 24th of March 2025 and consequent upon the intervention of the Honourable Minister of FCT on Thursday 3 July 2025, the State Wing Executive Council (SWEC) of the Union held an emergency session on Friday 4th July, 2025 to deliberate on the offer made by the Honourable Minister and to review the strike action.

2. The SWEC in- Session lamented the insensitivity and lack of commitment of the Primary School Education stakeholders in the FCT, but applauded the intervention of the Honourable Minister on the impasse through the Stakeholder meeting involving the Chairman, House Committee on FCT, Chairman, House Committee on FCT, Area Councils and ancillary matters, FCT Head of Service, FCT Permanent Secretary Treasury, Executives of the NUT and a host of others.

3. The SWEC In Session noted that the Honourable Minister reiterated the payment of FCT Primary School Teachers Salaries as the responsibility of the Area Councils but emphasised the inadequacy of their allocation to cater for the payment and therefore offered the following:

i) The release of the Area Councils six months 10% FCT accrued Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) amounting to N16 billion to augment for the payment of the New Minimum Wage for June and 60% of its nine months Arrears

ii) Constitutions of a special committee to, within two weeks, harmonize all the outstanding Arrears detailing the sourcing of funds for the permanent settlement of all the backlog.

Having deliberated exhaustively on the aforementioned offers, including the positive disposition of the Honourable Minister for the taking over the payment of the Primary School Teachers emoluments by the FCTA, the SWEC-In-Session resolved to suspend the Strike action on the release of the N16 billion and its payment to the Teachers accounts.

Consequent upon the implementation of the New Minimum Wage and payment of five months Arrears into the Teachers accounts today, 8th July 2025; the SWEC, hereby suspends the ongoing Strike action and appeals to all Primary School Teachers in FCT to, with effect from Wednesday, 9th July 2025 return to the classrooms and continue with their legitimate duties while the Union intensifies more efforts to ensure the settlement of the remaining entitlements.

The SWEC In Session wishes to use this medium to appreciate all members especially the Primary School Teachers for their unwavering support solidarity, cooperation and prayers while the strike lasted.

7. Our special thanks go to the FCT Royal fathers, Civil Society Organizations, and other well meaning individuals who, in one way or the other intervened and stood by us during the strike.

We equally wish to thank the National Head Office of our Union-NUT, the National and the FCT Council of the NLC for the support and guidance.