After more than three months of silence in the classrooms, primary school teachers across the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) are finally heading back to work.
Their union, the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT), FCT chapter, made the announcement on Tuesday, July 8, 2025, after an emergency meeting in Abuja. The move came just hours after the long-awaited payment of the new minimum wage and five months’ worth of salary arrears landed in their accounts.
“All primary school teachers in the FCT are to resume duty on Wednesday,” the communiqué declared—marking the end of a strike that began in March and threw thousands of pupils and their families into uncertainty.
This breakthrough didn’t happen in isolation. According to the NUT, the FCT Minister personally stepped in to break the deadlock. Working behind the scenes with key stakeholders, he facilitated the release of ₦16 billion from the Area Councils’ Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) to clear backlogs and support salary payments.
But while the teachers are picking up their chalk again, they’re not letting down their guard. A joint committee is set to be established within two weeks to sort out outstanding entitlements and put a long-term financial structure in place. The union made it clear: if the government reneges on its promises, the strike will resume—no questions asked.
Still, the mood among teachers is one of cautious relief. The NUT praised their members for their patience and resilience, also extending gratitude to traditional rulers, civil society organisations, and concerned citizens who stood in solidarity throughout the long, tense standoff.
