FCT Schools Shut as NUT Directs Teachers to Join Strike Amid Legal Dispute with FCTA

Academic activities across public primary and secondary schools in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) have been disrupted following a directive by the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT), FCT Wing, ordering its members to join the ongoing industrial action declared by organised labour.

The directive was contained in a communiqué issued at the end of an emergency meeting of the NUT State Wing Standing Committee (SWSC), held on Sunday, January 25, 2026, at the FCT Teachers’ House in Gwagwalada.
According to the communiqué, the meeting was convened to review the ongoing strike action led by the Joint Union Action Committee (JUAC) and to determine the union’s next steps following recent developments, including legal action instituted against the unions.

The union resolved that all primary and secondary school teachers in the FCT should fully comply with the strike with effect from Monday, January 26, 2026, effectively shutting down public schools across the territory.
The decision follows a legal dispute between the FCT Administration (FCTA), under the leadership of FCT Minister Nyesom Wike, and workers’ unions over unresolved labour issues. The FCTA had approached the National Industrial Court (NIC) seeking judicial intervention in the industrial action, a move that has drawn criticism from labour groups.
In a show of solidarity, the NUT also directed its members within and around Abuja to converge at the National Industrial Court, Gimbiya Street, Area 11, by 7:00 a.m. on Monday to attend the hearing of the case instituted against JUAC.
While the FCTA maintains that due process must be followed to resolve the impasse, labour unions insist that their demands—described as long-standing and legitimate—have been repeatedly ignored, leaving industrial action as their last resort.

The school shutdown has placed parents, students, and school administrators in a difficult position, with many families scrambling to make alternative arrangements for their children.

Education stakeholders have expressed concern over the impact of the disruption on learning outcomes, urging both parties to return to dialogue and reach an amicable resolution in the interest of public welfare.

As of the time of filing this report, the FCTA had yet to issue a fresh statement on the strike or provide a timeline for reopening schools. The situation remains tense as residents await the outcome of the court proceedings and possible negotiations.